Starting Over
by Ractre1127
Summary: After a personal tragedy, Clary Garroway moves in with her brother, Jon to start a new life when she meets the cocky next door neighbor. Will he be what she needs to move on, or is he just a player that will mess with her already fragile heart? ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO CASSANDRA CLARE! Characters are OOC
1. Prologue

_**Hello everyone! This is my 2nd fanfic so I'm faily new at this. I really hope this story is as enjoyable to read as it has been to write. I really don't have an updating schedule so bear with me. **_

_**As always, the charcters unfortunately belong to Cassandra Clare and the music belongs to the artists. **_

_**Hope you enjoy!** _

**Prologue: **

_****Song: Possibility by Lykke Li**** _

I close my eyes and listen to the sounds around me, of birds singing nearby, of the leaves rustling in the trees as the breeze gently blows through my hair. However, these sounds can't drown out other sounds. I can also hear the soft clumps of dirt as it hits the hard outer shell of the casket in the ground. I squeeze my eyes shut tight and dig my nails into the palm of my hands trying to hold back the overwhelming emotion that is threatening to spill. I don't know how long I stand there with my eyes closed and my head down, but after some time I feel a hand reach down and unclench my fist. I slowly open my eyes and look to my right and see my brother, Jon. He gives me a sad smile and wraps his hand around mine and tugs me away from my best friend. "Come on, Clare-bear. I think it's time to go."

I take one more look at the stark white headstone that reads my best friends name. I let him lead me to where my mom and step dad are waiting. My mom engulfs me into a too tight hug and whispers words in my ear but I don't really hear them. I just nod and climb in the backseat and stare out the window until we get home. As soon as the car stops in the driveway, I jump out and go right up to my room and close the door. I sink onto my bed and finally let go of the grief that I've been holding back for the last several days.

Since before I started Kindergarten, I've had a best friend. His name was Simon and he was the biggest dork, complete with glasses that were too big for his face and corny t-shirts that always had some ridiculous saying on them. But he was my dork. We did everything together. He always made me laugh even when I had been crying. He always knew what to say when no one else did. He has always been there for me. Now he's gone and it's my fault. You see, I called Simon that fateful night to come pick me up, but he never made it. I had had a long day at school. I was so tired and didn't feel like walking home, so I called my best friend knowing he would come get me. No, I didn't physically cause the accident that took my best friend away from me. I wasn't the one to run the red light and smash into the driver's side. But I was the one to get Simon out on the road that night. If not for me, Simon would still be here making me laugh and we would probably be playing some video game right now.

Now I don't know what to do with myself. So many things remind me of him. And it hurts so much….


	2. Chapter 1

_**Here's Chapter 1! Enjoy! **_

_**Characters & Music are not mine, but the rest is! **_

**Chapter 1:**

_****Chapter songs:**** _

_Rosyln by Bon Iver & St. Vincent _

_Island in the Sun by Weezer _

_Shake me Down by Cage the Elephant_

It's been almost a month since the accident. I don't go out; I don't see anyone or really talk to anyone. Only my mom and step-dad Luke, but only when they speak to me first. All I do anymore is get up, force down a little food, sit under my favorite oak tree overlooking the stream behind my house, then go back to bed and pretend to sleep. I haven't slept a full night in a while and I know the dark purple shadows under my eyes are pretty bad.

I get up today thinking it will be just like the day before, but this time it's different. I go out to sit under my tree trying to lose myself in the numbness that has consumed me for the last several weeks when I feel the air shift around me and someone sits down beside me. I look over and stare into the dark eyes of my brother.

"Hey little sis."

"Hey." I say and look out at the stream.

"Mom and Luke called."

"Did they?"

"Yeah. They're both really worried about you and so am I, Clary."

I look at him and see he really is worried. That and he hardly ever calls me Clary. I look down at my hands.

"I'm sorry. I just...I'm doing the best I can right now. It's so hard being here when everything hurts so badly."

Jon pulls me against him and hugs me. "I know. That's one reason why I'm here."

I pull back to look at him. "What do you mean?" I ask curious as to why he is here.

"I want you to come live with me for a while. You need to get out of here, away from this town and besides I miss you. What do you say? Come live with me."

I stare at him and see he is completely serious. "What about mom?" I ask wondering what she would say to this.

"I already talked to her about it and she thinks it would be good for you too." he says with a small smile.

I look out to the stream and try to gather my thoughts. If I did this, I could start over and get a job and start a new life. I'm not going anywhere here. That realization confirmed what I should do. I look at my brother who is still looking at me with a hopeful smile.

"Ok. I'll do it." And for the first time in weeks, I smile a real smile.

o.O.o

Jon and I begin packing right away and I feel some excitement growing for the first time in a long time. It feels foreign to me and it also makes me feel guilty to be feeling anything but sadness. So I try to focus on packing instead.

"How permanent is this move?" I ask wondering if I should take all my clothes or just the warm weather clothes.

"You can stay as long as you like. I was thinking in exchange for staying rent free, you could help me around the apartment with cooking and maybe laundry." he says with a playful smile.

"Uh huh, I'm sure you would love that. That will work until I get a job of my own and start paying you rent." I say with my hands on hips.

"But if you stayed rent free and got a job, you could save your money and get a place of your own. I'm sure you don't want to live with me forever." he says with a cocky grin, knowing he had a point.

"Fine. You win. I'll cook and do your laundry." I say with a sigh.

"Don't forget the grocery shopping. You'll have to do that too. You know since you'll be the one cooking and all." he says sheepishly.

I glare at him and throw a wad of socks at him to which he blocks and laughs before going back to packing. In the end, I pack all of my clothes and shoes, but none of my furniture. Jon says he has bedroom furniture in the spare room already. I take my sketch pad and pencils even though I haven't drawn in a while. Jon's car is packed full of my stuff and my mom and Luke come to say good-bye. My mom pulls me in for a hug.

"This will be so good for you, baby. I love you." she says with tears in her eyes.

Luke hugs me next and says, "Take care of yourself. We're always here for you, you know that right?" I nod.

"Yeah, I know Luke. Take care of mom and I love you both." I say looking at my parents.

"Jon, keep an eye on your sister." Mom says to him as I climb into the car.

"I will mom. Bye guys. Love you." he says and gets in and starts the engine.

"Ready Clary-berry?"

I roll my eyes at the nickname and take a deep breath, "Yeah, I'm ready."

And then we leave behind the old memories and head toward making new ones.

o.O.o

Jon and I ride for about an hour talking about trivial things. Never talking about things that will remind me of anything from recently. After a while, we stop at a road side diner to grab some food. We slide in a booth by the window and order our food.

"Tomorrow, I'll invite some of my friends over and introduce you so you can get to know them. Let me warn you though, they're all guys and one or two can be a real douche." Jon says to me as we're looking out the window.

"They sound so nice. I can't wait." I say sarcastically.

Jon laughs and says, "Really, they're not that bad. And they'll be nice to you or I'll beat the shit out of them."

I roll my eyes, but secretly love the protective older brother act he puts on in front of people. Jon and I are 18 months apart, but 2 years difference in school. I'm now 20 and was taking classes at the community college near home, but quit after the accident. Jon just turned 22 and is working for our uncle at his law firm.

"None of these friends of yours have girlfriends?" I ask glancing back over to Jon.

"Nah. We're too busy playing the field to be tied down to one girl right now." he says with that cocky grin of his.

"Ew, Jon, I better not hear any noises coming from your room when you bring some slut home with you. Are all your friends players?" I ask with disgust plain on my face.

He laughs again and says, "Pretty much."

Just then the waitress brings over our food and winks at Jon before walking back behind the counter.

"What did I just get myself into?" I groan looking pointedly at Jon.

He laughs and says, "It's not as bad you're thinking. I promise. Eat. You look like you haven't eaten in a while."

I tense slightly and give him a small smile and start eating. When we are done, we get back in the car and drive the rest of the way just listening to the radio. Another hour later and we arrive in my new city. I stare out the window at all the tall buildings and people rushing around. The energy here is exciting and I find myself smiling.

"What are you grinning about?" Jon asks me while stopping at a red light.

"It's so busy here. I like it." I say smiling back at my brother. "Thanks for bringing me here."

He grabs my hand and squeezes it. "I'm glad you're here. And not because you'll be doing my cooking and laundry. I really have missed you, Cherry drop."

I shake my head and can't help but smile. "You and the nicknames you have for me."

"You know you love each and every one of them."

I laugh and go back to looking out the window. When we get to the apartment building, I look around and notice that it looks like an older building, but well kept. It also has some really nice architectural elements to it. We unload all of my stuff and go into Jon's apartment. He shows me around and then to my new room. I unpack my clothes and put them away and then I see my sketch pad. I pick it up and sit on the window seat in my room. Looking out, I see a small park next to the apartment building. And for the first time since Simon died, I begin to draw.

_**Read and Review :) Until next time. . . .**_


	3. Chapter 2

_**I would like to say thanks to the all who are following and reviewing this story. It makes me want to keep going with it. We finally get to meet Jace in this chapter! YAY! Enjoy! The songs listed at the beginning of the chapters are kind of long so I would just listen to about 2 minutes of them. I hope that makes sense.**_

_**Remember: Charactes are not mine and neither is the music.**_

**Chapter 2:**

_****Chapter songs:**** _

_Monsters by Hurricane Bells _

_She Hates Me by Puddle of Mudd _

_Got You by The Flys_

I wake up and stretch before I open my eyes and wonder what the day will bring for me. I open my eyes then and look around my new room. I think I'll go out today and buy some things to make this my room since I'll be here for a while. I get up and look in my bag to see how much money mom gave me before I left home. It's then that I smell something cooking. I walk down the hall to the kitchen to find my brother at the stove making eggs and bacon. He hears me come in and turns to me with a big smile.

"Good morning, shortcake. How did you sleep last night?" he asks while turning back to the food on the stove.

"I actually slept better than I have in a long time." I say ignoring the shortcake crack.

"What are you doing making breakfast? I thought that was my job as part of the conditions of living here."

Jon comes over to me and places a plate in front of me. I go to the fridge and get out the orange juice, making a mental note of things needed at the grocery store. I pour 2 glasses of juice and sit down next to him.

"Clary, there are no conditions for you living here. I really am glad you are here whether you cook or do any of my laundry. I love you baby girl." he says sweetly then shoves food in his mouth.

"I'm glad to be here too. And as it happens, I don't mind doing my part to help out around here." I say with a smile.

I sure have been smiling a lot since I left home. I think this is just what I needed. We eat the rest of our food and I clean the dishes while Jon goes to get ready for work. After the dishes have been put away, I start making a grocery list. I have just finished making one when Jon comes back in dressed in a suit.

"Hey, Jon, where is the nearest grocery store? I think we need to restock some things."

"It's 2 blocks east of here. You can't miss it. Here's some money." he says taking out his wallet and handing me his credit card.

"I'll be home around 6:00 and my boys will be coming around 7:00."

I nod and ask, "Where is the laundry room here?"

"It's at the end of our hallway. Each floor has their own." he says before kissing me on the cheek and with a "see you half-pint" he's out the door.

I roll my eyes and go take a shower. After putting on cut-off shorts, a black tank top, and my black chucks, I pull my hair in 2 low ponytails. I grab my list and my messenger bag and walk out of the apartment. I get outside and head east like Jon said. As I leave the apartment building, I pass a small park. It has swings, slides, and a merry-go-round. A pang of sadness clenches my chest. Simon and I used to spend hours at a park much like this one. God, I miss him. I take a deep breath and begin looking around, watching all the people rushing here and there and the cars whizzing past and honking their horns. Before long I see some storefronts. One in particular catches my eye and I go in to see what I can find for my room.

As I'm looking around, a pretty Asian girl comes to see if I need anything.

"Hi. I'm Aline. Do you need help with anything?" she says with a pretty smile.

"Oh, I think I have all I need, thanks." I say returning her smile.

"Are you ready to check out then?" she asks while moving to the cash register.

I nod and follow her to the counter and place my purchases down. After paying for everything, I wave and leave the store and head to the grocery store. I really hadn't thought about how I'm going to carry everything back with me. I decide to take my things home and come back to the store later. I get back and start decorating my room with the new things I bought. I stand back and admire the changes I made. I hung a string of twinkling lights over the window seat and over my bed. It looks really pretty all lit up. I can't wait to see it at night.

I decide to gather Jon's laundry and do that before going back out to the store. I head down the hall to the end where I see the rows of washer and dryers. No one else is in here so I pick a machine near the window and begin putting Jon's clothes in the washer. While they are washing, I sit on a nearby machine and lean against the wall. I pull my iPod and earbuds out of my bag along with my sketch pad. When the clothes finish washing, I throw them in the dryer and go back to my previous position.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a blonde head walk in and head to the first set of machines. I look over at him and my breath actually catches when I see how unbelievably gorgeous this boy is. I quickly look back down to my drawing as I feel my face burn. I sneak another look at him and see he looks confused and frustrated staring down at the washer. Almost as if he could sense me looking at him, he glances up at me and he gives me a panty-dropping smirk. I instantly turn red which annoys me so I glare at him. His smirk falters a bit, but he recovers and walks toward me slowly and never taking his eyes off of me. When he stands in front of me, I take out one earbud and raise one eyebrow at him.

"Can I help you?" I ask with annoyance in my voice. I immediately don't like him because he's too pretty and he knows it. _Who am I kidding? I would totally get with that!_

"Would you be so kind as to help me out with that?" he asks pointing at the abandoned machine with his clothes on it. I look at him for a second and cock my head to the side.

"You've never washed clothes before? What are you some kind of spoiled princess?" I say with a smirk.

He narrows his eyes then smiles the most delicious smile. "You know most girls would jump at the chance to help me out. You should consider yourself lucky."

"Well, I'm not like most girls." I say back.

"You certainly aren't. No, you are quite feisty. I kinda like it." he smiles a much sweeter looking smile than that damn sexy one.

I contemplate for a second and hop off the machine I'm sitting on.

I walk up to him and say, "I may be feisty, but I'm also a nice person, so I'll help you this once."

I brush past him and rub against his arm and my arm starts tingling from the contact. I hold off the shiver that I feel coming and go to his machine. He follows me and watches what I'm doing.

"First, you turn on the water, and then add the soap, then the clothes. Close the lid and turn it on. It's really not complicated." I say and walk back over to my dryer where I promptly remove the clothes and begin folding them. I feel him come up next to me. I glance up at him and he smiles.

"Thanks. Do you need help folding these? It's the least I can do." he says with that cocky grin again.

"No, it's fine. I'll be done in just a minute."

He looks down at the clothes and asks, "Are these your boyfriend's clothes? He sure is a lucky man to have someone do his laundry for him."

I laugh and shake my head. "No, these are my brother's clothes, not my boyfriend's."

"Oh, so you do have a boyfriend." he says with amusement in his voice.

"Why would you think I have a boyfriend?" I ask annoyed at him again.

"Well, you said these are your brother's not your boyfriend's. So I assumed you had one."

"Well, you assumed wrong."

"So, why are doing your brother's laundry? Does he have some sort of naughty blackmail on you or something?" he asks flashing that damn smile again.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no. I'm staying with him rent free and in return will do the laundry and cook for him." I say with a shrug. I gather all the clothes in the basket and my bag.

Looking up at him, I say with a fake sugary smile, "It was lovely meeting you." I walk past him toward the door.

"Hey wait. After the clothes wash, would do I do?" he asks a little sheepishly. I roll my eyes and point to the dryer.

"Put the clothes in there and turn the knob and press start." I turn to go out the door again.

"Thanks for your help, Feisty." he says with a smirk.

"No problem, Princess." I say back without turning around.

I leave the laundry room and return to my apartment. I put Jon's clothes on his bed because I am so not going through his drawers to put things away. I decide to make myself a little lunch before going to the store. After looking around for something to eat, I decide on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a Greek yogurt. I finish eating and go to the store to restock the cabinets. When I get back home lugging all the bags in, it's almost time for Jon to get home. I put away all the groceries and lay out ingredients for tonight's dinner.

o.O.o

Jon walks into the kitchen just as I'm stirring the ground beef on the stove.

"Whatcha making for dinner tonight, Cherry?" Jon asks coming over to see what I'm attending to.

"I thought I would make everyone burritos. Is that ok?"

"That's sounds good. Alec and Jace are the only ones coming. They live next door to us. Jordan had something else to do, so you can meet him later." he says just as there is a knock at the door.

Jon leaves to answer the door. I hear him greet his friends as I bend over to check on the tortilla shells in the oven. Just as I straighten up, I hear a throat clearing. I turn around to find myself looking at the cocky grin of the hot laundry room guy.

"Guys, this is my baby sister, Clary. She just moved here and doesn't know anyone yet. Clary, these are my buds, Alec and Jace."

"Well, well, well. We meet again Feisty." the guy Jon introduced as Jace says to me with a wink. _Hot name! Wait, what?_

"Why, it's my favorite pampered Princess." I say with fake enthusiasm.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Jon asks looking back and forth between the two of us.

I shake my head and say with a smirk of my own, "No, I met him today in the laundry room. He needed a bit of help with the machines."

Then the other boy Alec, comes forward and shakes my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Clary. We have a sister that we can introduce you to so you will have another female around. Isabelle is always complaining about the lack of females to hang out with."

I smile at him and glance at Jace, who is still looking at me with a grin. I turn around to finish cooking as Jon and Alec walk into the living room. I still feel Jace standing in the doorway. I whip around and meet his eyes.

"Got a problem, there Princess?" I ask him. His smile fades for a second and then he walks closer to me and leans on the counter beside me.

"So, you're Jon's baby sister. How nice of him to take you in. What grade are you in?" he asks trying to get a rise out of me. It works. I narrow my eyes at him and glare.

"For your information I am 20 years old. Jon and I are only 18 months apart. Just because he is slightly older does not make me his "baby" sister. Got it!"

He holds up his hands in front of him like he is surrendering and mutters, "Touchy subject."

I grab the plates and shove them into his hands. He looks at me like he doesn't know what to do with them. He probably doesn't.

"If you're going to stand there like an ass, the least you can do is take these to table for me while I bring the food out."

He walks out without another word. I hear Jon asking Jace if he is bothering me and it makes me smile. I leave the kitchen and join the guys for dinner. This should be interesting.

_**There you have it. What do you think about Jace and Clary's meeting in the laundry room? Reviews help!**_

_**Until next time...**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Hi guys! I would like to thank you so much for the reviews I have gotten so far. I really appreciate each and every one. I try to respons to them all and if I missed you I'm sorry. Review again and let me know and I'll get to you. Anyway. . . .on to Chapter 3 (part of it is in Jace's point of view)! Enjoy! :)**_

_**Remember: Queen Cassandra Clare owns the characters and I don't :( nor do I own the music!**_

**Chapter 3: **

_****Chapter Songs:**** _

_Driveway by Great Northern _

_Echo by Vertical Horizon _

_If You Were Here by Cary Brothers_

(JPOV)

God, what it is it about this chick that's got me all wound up? When I first saw her in the laundry room, I thought she was pretty cute, not what I usually go for, but cute nonetheless. I figured it would be easy to charm her and maybe I could get her doing my laundry for me. No such luck. This girl was not at all affected by my dashing good looks or charm. Besides the slight blush to her cheeks, I would've thought I disgusted her. She even talked back to me. After she showed me how to start the washer, I watched her walk back to her machine. She was wearing short cut-off shorts, a tank top, and converse. Her flaming red curls were in two low ponytails. When she bent over to retrieve the clothes from the dryer, I couldn't help checking out her ass, and I was not disappointed in the least. I noticed she was very small and had very little curves but it suited her somehow. When she left calling me Princess, I couldn't help smiling. Then I get to my buddy Jon's apartment and walk into the kitchen to see that same ass from earlier bent over the oven this time. I clear my throat and she spins around and when she sees me, her cheeks turn red. She's Jon's sister and she will be living right next door to me. This could be fun. On the other hand this could also be very dangerous.

Right now, we are sitting at the table eating some of the most delicious burritos I have ever had and I can't keep my eyes from wandering in Clary's direction. She seems so pleasant when she talks to Alec or Jon, even smiling and laughing. When she talks to me, she glares and always makes a sarcastic comment. I wonder what I did to make her hate me already. I know I'm an ass sometimes, but girls love me no matter what.

Everyone takes their dishes to the kitchen and Jon and Alec return to the living room to watch baseball. Clary starts running water in the sink to start the dishes. I want her to smile at me like she did with Alec, so I decide to play nice and see what I can get out of her.

"You wash and I'll dry." I offer her with a smile, not a smirk. She looks at me for a second and nods handing me a plate she just washed.

"So, Clary, what did you move here for?" I ask trying to make conversation. She stops washing the plate she's holding and I feel her stiffen up beside me. I glance down at her and notice she looks a little pale. Something in me reacts, and for some reason I feel the need to comfort her. _Wait, I do not comfort people._

"Hey, it's fine if you don't want to tell me. I was just trying to make conversation." I say trying to get her to relax.

She goes back to washing and clears her throat. "Sorry, I'm just….um I…. So you and Alec are brothers? I would've never guessed. But I guess siblings don't have to look alike. I mean look at me and Jon. Most people who see us together think I'm his girlfriend." she rambles scrunching up her nose in the cutest way. _What?_

"I was adopted by Alec's family when I was 7. They've always treated me like I belong, never treating us different from one another."

"That's great. They sound like nice people. You're lucky to have been adopted by such a good family." she says and smiles up at me.

I finally got one! I smile back at her and we continue washing and drying all the dishes. When we're done, we walk into the living room together. I sit on the loveseat hoping Clary will join me, but she doesn't. She tells us to have fun and walks down the hall and disappears. I feel a pang in my chest and chock it up to indigestion. I try to watch the game with the guys, but my mind keeps drifting to the red head down the hall.

I get up to use the bathroom and as I walk out I hear music and curiosity gets the best of me. I walk further down the hall until I come to the slightly open door at the end. I peer in and see her sitting in a window seat under twinkling lights and bent over a sketch pad drawing. The way the light shines in her hair makes her look like an angel sitting there. She's beautiful. I back away before she sees me creeping. That night I lay awake in my bed and think of her. For some reason, I want to get to know her. I drift off to sleep thinking of ways to see her again.

o.O.o

The next morning I wake up to my alarm going off. I get up and stretch, throw on some yoga pants and a sports bra and head to the kitchen to make some pancakes for me and Jon before he leaves to go to work. I flip the last pancake onto a plate and set the table. Calling Jon, I sit down to eat. When he comes out of his room, he's dressed and ready to go. He looks surprised that I got up and made him breakfast.

"Wow. I'm impressed Cherry-berry. Have I told you lately you are the best sister in the world?" he says pecking me on the head and sitting down to dig in.

"No, but I already know I am." I say smiling at my goofy brother. We eat and then he's out the door.

I call mom and let her know I'm doing better and then go to the living room to practice some yoga. After several poses, I hear a knock on the door. I open the door and look into a pair of golden eyes. He looks me up and down and a slow grin takes shape on his god-like face.

"Hey. Um….you just missed Jon." I say flushing. _God, why didn't I check the peephole first?_

"I know. I'm not here for Jon. I came for you." he says stepping through the door.

"Wh-why for me?"

He turns and smiles. "I thought I could be a tour guide for you and later take you to meet my sister. Unless you have other plans." he says eyeing my yoga pants and sports bra. I look down and instantly turn red.

"Oh….um no I was just working out a little. Um….I'm gonna go change. I'll be right back." I say backing out of the room. He just stands there staring after me with that grin on his face. I rush into my room and change into some short shorts and an off the shoulder t-shirt and my trusty chucks. I take my hair out of the messy bun and try to run my fingers through it. I take a deep breath and go back out to the living room where he is looking at some photo album Jon had under the coffee table. I sit down beside him and he looks over at me.

"I see you've found some embarrassing pictures." He looks back at the pictures with amusement.

"Aren't you just the cutest wittle thing?" he says in a baby voice. I glare and hit him on the arm. He laughs and continues turning the pages.

"Who is that?" he asks. I look at the picture and I inhale sharply. I feel his eyes on me and I say quietly, "That's….that…. was Simon. He was my best friend." I swallow hard and close my eyes trying to force the tears I feel stinging away.

"I think that's enough looking for today. Are you ready to go?" Jace asks and puts the book back under the table.

"Yeah, let's go." I say standing up and going to the door. Just before I open it, I feel a hand on my arm. I look up and Jace is staring down at me with concern.

"Are you ok, Clary?"

"Yeah, sure. Why wouldn't I be? Come on." I say and walk out. I don't want his pity. I will not be weak anymore.

We get outside and I start to walk the way I did yesterday when I feel a warm arm snake around my waist.

"This way, Feisty." His breath tickles my ear. He releases my waist but grabs my hand and leads me to a black convertible Mercedes. He opens the passenger door for me and gestures for me to climb in. I comply and watch him walk around and get in the driver's seat. I shake my head a little and look away.

"What?" he asks looking at me.

I shake my head and say, "Nothing."

"Really, what?"

"You just seem so different than yesterday. Like you're two different people. Yesterday, you were a cocky bastard and today, I don't know. You're nicer." I say shrugging.

"Well, I'm quite sure I would surprise you if you gave me the chance." he says with a crooked smile. Then he starts the car and we take off. As we drive through the city, he points out places and tells me about them. We stop for lunch at a diner. He keeps up the gentlemanly gestures, opening doors for me and things. We sit in a booth and a very pretty waitress comes over with long blonde hair and icy blue eyes. She is wearing a very short skirt and her shirt is pulled down so that her abundance of boobs is practically falling out of her shirt.

"Hey, babe. You want your usual." she says.

"No, Kaelie. I think today I'll try something new. What looks good to you, Clary?" he asks looking at me.

The girl-Kaelie looks at me with a look that lets me know just what she thinks of me – disgust.

"Um….I'll take a burger and fries. Oh, and a chocolate milkshake and a slice of apple pie." I say with a smile.

"I'll have the same as her." Jace says.

Kaelie looks at Jace like she wants to eat him and leans down and whispers seductively, "I'm on break in 10 minutes. You know where to find me when you get bored here." Then she looks at me with a smug expression and walks away to place our order. I look at Jace and he actually looks a little embarrassed or maybe it's excitement. I don't know.

"So….girlfriend?" I say gesturing with my chin in the direction Kaelie walked to.

"No, just an acquaintance." he says and clears his throat. I look down not sure why it's suddenly so awkward.

"I'll take you to meet Isabelle after we eat."

"Look, if you want to stay here, I can get a cab back home. You don't have to entertain me."

"Why would I want to stay here? Oh….you mean for….No, I don't want to stay for that. I've been trying to get away from her for a while, but she doesn't seem to get the message."

"Then why do you come here when you know she works here?"

"One-The food is the best in the city and two- I thought if I showed up with another girl, she would stop trying." I look over at her and see she is about to bring our food to us so I get up and slide in the booth with Jace.

"Just go with it." I say before I smash my mouth against his.

At first, he is frozen, and then slowly he relaxes against my mouth and kisses back. _Sweet, Jesus! This boy can kiss!_ A plate slams down with too much force and we break apart. Jace looks slightly dazed. I look up at Kaelie and see she is fuming.

"Oops. Sorry, I guess we just got bored waiting for our food. Right, baby?" I say turning to Jace.

He just nods his head and stares at my lips. "Mmmhmm." he murmurs.

Kaelie huffs and storms off. I giggle and sigh. "That was fun." I begin eating my hamburger. I look at Jace and see he is slowly gaining control of his body and he begins eating. _Weird. It's like somehow my kiss affected him. He's a player who gets all kinds of girls. Surely he's had better kisses._ We finish eating and Jace insists on paying. We walk out without seeing Kaelie again. I start to worry maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved with getting Kaelie away from him. Maybe he really didn't want her to completely stay away. I mean why would he? Besides the slut clothing, she is gorgeous.

Jace opens my door and I climb in without a word, still lost in thought. Jace gets in but he doesn't start the car. He turns towards me and studies me for a second.

"Hey. What are thinking about so intently?"

"I'm sorry about that in there. You probably didn't want me to get involved in your business with her. I wasn't thinking about that." I say quietly, looking down at my hands in my lap.

"Are you kidding me? I think she may have gotten the message this time. I should be thanking you." he says smiling. "And by the way, you are a very good kisser." he says with a cocky grin before starting the car and driving away from the diner.

I blush and look out the window, but I can't keep the small smile from my face. He pulls up in front of a boutique and parks.

"This is where Isabelle works."

We walk in and a tall, thin, beautiful girl with long ink black hair and dark brown eyes, greet us. Jace, what in the world are you doing here?" she says looking confused as to why her brother has come to see her.

"I wanted to introduce you to someone. Isabelle, this is Clary. She just moved in next door to me and doesn't know anyone." Jace says introducing us.

"Hi, Clary. It's nice to meet you. So you live next door to my brothers. That's got to be interesting." she says with a friendly smile.

"Yeah. I moved in with my brother 2 days ago. So far, all I've met are guys, so Jace offered to show me around the city and to introduce me to you."

"Well, isn't that nice and so unlike you, Jace." Isabelle says eyeing Jace with suspicion. Jace just shrugs and averts his eyes. We talk a little longer and make plans to go out this weekend to a club. Jace and I leave Isabelle and head back to the apartment.

When we get to our floor, I expect to part ways but Jace surprises me again.

"Would you like to come in to my apartment and hang out for a while?" he asks a little nervously.

"Aren't you tired of me yet?" I tease.

"Not quite. Come on." I follow him into his apartment. It looks a lot like Jon's except not as cluttered. I go to the window and look out.

"You have a better view of the park than I do." I say absently. I turn away from the window and walk around the apartment. I look through all the pictures of Jace and his family scattered throughout the living room when Jace reappears with two glasses of water. He holds one out for me and I take it murmuring a thanks. He walks over to the couch and turns on the game console and turns to me with a mischievous smile.

"You wanna play a game?"

"What game?" I ask with my eyebrow raised.

"How about Call of Duty or Halo? I could show you how to play."

I feel a lump in my throat at the mention of those particular games. I used to play them all the time with Simon. I was quite good at them too. I haven't played since the accident and I didn't know if I could. Although, it would feel so good to beat this bastard.

I swallow against the lump and offer the best smile I can and say, "Halo sounds fun."

I take the seat next to Jace and pretend to listen as he tells me how to play. Little does he know that Halo is my best game. After beating Jace several times, he throws his controller down with a huff. He looks at me with a suspicious look.

"You already knew how to play, didn't you?" he says, eyes glaring at me. I bite my lip to hide my grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It must be beginners luck." I say innocently.

"Nuh uh. You have so played before. Now tell me, where did you learn to play that well."

I look down and clear my throat. All playfulness from before gone.

"I used to play with my best friend back home." I say quietly. I stand up and take my glass back to the kitchen. I stand at the sink and close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"Clary?"

I spin around and Jace is looking at me with a worried expression. I fake a smile and push past him and head to the door.

"Thanks for everything today, Jace, but I think I should get going. I'll see you later."

"Clary-wait!" he says rushing after me.

"Bye!" I say and walk out of the apartment and sprint down to my door and rush in. Once inside, I lean against the door and close my eyes. When is it going to be less painful? I walk to my room and sit in my window seat and watch the world go by.

_**I hope you like reading from Jace's point of view. Can I just say I do not like Kaelie! What did you think?**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	5. Chapter 4

_**Okay everyone. . . .here's chapter 4 for you and can I just say that I Freaking LOVE Jace! More Isabelle in this chapter so enjoy! **_

_**Thanks for all of the reviews and I would like to see them keep coming! :)**_

_**I own nothing!**_

**Chapter 4:**

_****Chapter Songs:**** _

_Wonderwall by Oasis _

_Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol _

_Comedown by Bush_

As the week wore on, I have hung out with Isabelle nearly every night. Jon seems to have taken a liking to her. I haven't seen much of Jace since we played Halo together that day. Just in passing. I guess I have successfully scared him off. Today is Friday and Isabelle is coming over after work to, and I quote, 'to dress me for the club'. Apparently she doesn't think I know how to dress myself. Jon gets home and he informs me that he will also be going out with us tonight, as well as Alec and Jace. Either Jon wants to go because of Isabelle or he wants to keep an eye on me. I'm not sure which or maybe it's a little of both.

I take a shower and dry my hair. I throw on one of Jon's t-shirts that comes to about mid-thigh. Just as I put it on, I hear a knock on the door. I go to answer it, expecting it to be Isabelle, but it's Jace instead.

"Hey." I say lamely. I just stare up at him wondering how someone can be so freaking hot.

"Hey. Are you going to let me in or what?" he says sarcastically arching an eyebrow. Heat rushes to my cheeks and I move aside to let him in.

"Oh….yeah, come in." He walks in and turns back to look at me. His eyes rake up and down my body, taking in my t-shirt and wild curly hair.

"So, I haven't seen much of you lately. How are things?" he says making conversation.

"Yeah, I guess I've been busy. You know, looking for a job and all." I say with a shrug.

"Ah. Have you found one?"

"I don't know, maybe. They're supposed to let me know."

"Well, that's good. Where will you maybe be working?"

I really didn't want anyone to know. Jon wouldn't like it at all. Not that I'd be doing anything bad. It's just a waitressing job, but it's not exactly a high class place. Another knock at the door saves me from answering. I go to answer it and this time it is Isabelle.

"Hey, girl. I brought over several things for you to try on from the shop. Whatever we choose, you can have and I'll bring the rest back. Oh, hey Jace. What are you doing here?" she says noticing Jace and I standing awkwardly near each other. She narrows her eyes as she looks at the two of us.

"Just coming to hang out with Jon until we leave." he says nonchalantly.

Isabelle looks at him for a few more seconds and then grabs my hand pulling me toward my room. "Come on, Clary. Let's get you looking hot so none of the guys at the club can keep their hands off of you."

When we get to my room, she sits me down at my desk and proceeds to work on my hair.

"Clary? Can I ask you a question?" She sounds a little nervous for some reason.

"Sure. What's up?" I say glancing at her in the mirror hanging on my closet door.

"Is there anything going on between you and Jace?" This is not what I was expecting her to ask. _Why is she wondering about that?_

"Um….No. Why?"

"I dunno. He seems to always be near you and he's always watching you and just now, you two looked weird around each other." My heart started beating rapidly in my chest. _What?_

"Pfff. He isn't always watching me. We're just friends, Isabelle. Really." I say but my traitor cheeks betray me. Isabelle, seeing my blush, shakes her head.

"Clary, you are my friend. In fact you're my only girlfriend. I don't want to see you get hurt. Jace is a player. He is never serious about anyone and once he gets what he wants, he's off to find someone else. I'm telling you this because I don't want you to be one of his conquests."

I know she's being sincere and only trying to help. But the pang in my chest still hurts. I know he's a player, but I also know there is a nicer side to him as well. I flash my fake smile to mask my true feelings.

"You don't need to worry about me, Isabelle. I already know he's like that and furthermore he wouldn't be interested in me like that because I'm not his type. He goes after girls with curves and skimpy outfits, not short, red-headed girls with little to no curves and a face full of freckles."

She nods and goes back to doing my hair. I stare off into space, wishing I didn't have to go out tonight.

o.O.o

JPOV

Isabelle takes off with Clary. God, why do I feel the need to be around her all the time. After that day, we spent together, it's gotten worse. I tried to get my mind off of her. I even went out to hook up with some random chick, but everyone that tried to get my attention was just not what I wanted. I kept telling myself, that one is too blond, that one has the wrong color eyes, that one is too tall. After a while, I finally gave up and came home, only to find her in my apartment hanging out with Alec, Jon, and Isabelle. That's when I realized she had the right color hair and eyes and was just perfect. All night I was looking for someone and she was right here the whole time. Tonight, we're going to the club and I don't know how I will stand seeing others touching her, talking to her, or even looking at her. Especially after the comment Isabelle made just as she was dragging Clary away. Jon comes out of his bedroom. He looks surprised to see me.

"Jace. Hey buddy. What's up?" he says sitting down on the couch and turning on the TV to SportCenter.

"Not much. Just thought I'd come over and hang out before we go." I say keeping my eyes on the TV.

"Ok. Is Clary getting ready?"

"Yeah. Isabelle dragged her away a little while ago." Jon nods and then turns to me with a serious expression.

"Do you like my sister?" The question catches me completely off guard. _Hell. Is it that obvious?_ I clear my throat and decide to ask him a question to avoid answering his.

"Do you like mine?" _There. That ought to get him to forget his question._

"Actually, I do. Now answer my question. Do you like my sister?"

"Would it be a problem if I did?"

"Well, yeah it would if you treated her like you usually treat girls. As long as I've known you, you've thrown girls away as soon as you get what you want. I won't let Clary be one of them."

I look down. It's true. I have been the biggest ass to women and I've never cared about that until now. I don't think I could do that to Clary even if I wanted to. There's something about her that makes me want to comfort her and protect her. To be a better person. Before I can say anything, Isabelle walks out looking gorgeous like always and just behind her, Clary. _Holy shit!_ My mouth drops open and I swear I think I feel drool dripping down my chin. Hot doesn't even come close to describe how she looks. She is absolutely stunning. I've never seen her wear much make-up because she doesn't need it, but tonight, her eyes look amazing. I could stare into them forever.

"Isabelle! What the hell did you do to my sister?"

"What? You don't think she looks good?" Isabelle asks looking back at Clary.

"It's not that. How am I supposed to keep everyone away from her looking like that?"

"Jon….I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." Clary says giving Jon a glare. She walks into the kitchen and Jon follows her leaving me alone with Isabelle.

"You might want to close your mouth. It may freeze like that." Isabelle says giving me a look.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say, feigning indifference. She walks up to me and searches my face for what I don't know.

"What's going on, Jace?"

"What? Nothing."

"There's something different about you. I don't know what it is, but something is there." I just stare back at her. Clary and Jon come back into the room and my eyes instantly find Clary's.

Isabelle catches this and leans in to whisper in my ear, "Don't hurt her." Then she walks over to Jon and starts talking to him. I look at Clary and she gives me a shy smile.

"I think you look amazing." I say honestly. Even though I didn't mean to let that slip out, I can't find it in myself to regret saying it. A smile lights up her whole face. _God, I really love her smile._

"Thanks, Jace."

o.O.o

We get to the club and walk in. The pulsing lights and booming base greet us. Bodies are smashed together, gyrating against each other. We make our way to the bar and order some drinks. Jace stays pretty close to me but not close enough to touch. After a few drinks, Isabelle pulls me onto the dance floor. We dance together, getting looks from lots of guys. I notice Jace watching me. I turn away from him and lose myself in the music. After a while I notice I'm not dancing with Isabelle anymore. I'm dancing with a cute guy with dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"Hi. I'm Caleb."

"Clary." I say back with a smile. We dance together for a while and then I need a break, so I break off from him and go sit with Alec at the bar.

"Hey, Alec." I say signaling for the bartender to get me a drink.

"What's up? You look like you're having fun out there." Alec says sipping his beer.

"I am. What about you? Having fun?" I ask turning back around to survey the dance floor. I spot Isabelle dancing with Jon and I smile at that. And then I see something that makes my heart beat so fast, it nearly takes my breath away. Jace is dancing with a pretty brunette who is snuggled up so close to him she's practically attached to him. I turn back around so I don't have to see anymore. Then I realize Alec is still talking to me. I try to listen but my mind is on the couple behind me. I hate that girl. _Whoa!_ I can't believe I'm jealous. I have got to get over this. Jace is my friend and nothing more. Just when I finish my drink, someone plops down in the seat beside me. I glance over and see Jace staring back at me.

"You look like you're having fun. Where's your uh…. friend?" I say with a little too much hostility.

He chuckles and sighs. "I don't know where she is. She was way too clingy. Besides, I really want to dance with someone else."

"Oh, well why are you over here instead of hooking up with whoever it is you want?" I say without looking at him.

"Because who I want is right here."

I whip my head in his direction. He can't be serious. "What?"

"Would you like to dance with me?" he asks holding his hand out to me. I hesitate for a second and then place my hand in his. Heat spreads up my arm and I shiver. He leads me out to the dance floor and pulls me against him. We sway to the music and everything around us fades away. Like it's just us in this club dancing. I slowly look up at him and his eyes bore into mine. We stare at each other for a minute and then he looks at my mouth. He slowly leans down and I close my eyes. His lips brush against mine very softly and then he presses them more firmly. My lips part involuntarily and his tongue plunges in to my mouth. His arm snakes around my waist and he pulls me tighter to him. His hand cups the back of my neck and secures my face to his. _Jesus! What he can do with his mouth! WOW!_ We kiss until we need air. We break away and look at each other. He looks flushed and his lips are slightly swollen. There is no telling what I look like after that. Neither one of us can look away from each other. Some emotion flickers in his eyes but I can't tell what it is. Jon and Isabelle walk over to us. They both look from one of us to the other. Then Jon touches my shoulder and the trance is broken. I turn toward him and he looks at me with a weird expression.

"Are you ready to go Cherry?"

Unable to speak, I nod my head and look back at Jace. He and Isabelle are having a silent conversation, giving each other looks. Jon grabs my hand and pulls me out of the club with Jace and Isabelle right behind us. When we get outside, Alec is already there waiting for us. We begin walking and I feel eyes boring into my back, but I resist the urge to turn around. What have I gotten myself into? Isabelle goes to her place and when we get back to the apartment, we each say good-bye and Jon and I go into our apartment. I try to hurry to my room but he stops me.

"Clary." _Uh oh._ He never calls me Clary unless he's serious. "What was that with you and Jace at the club?"

I take a deep breath and let it out in a big gush. "I don't know, Jon. We were just dancing and then all of a sudden we were kissing. There's nothing going on nor will there be anything going on." I say, the lie tasting bitter on my tongue. There was something in that kiss. I don't know what but something.

"Just promise me, you'll be careful. Okay?" he says and kisses me on the cheek.

"You don't need to worry, Jon, but I promise."

He smiles at me and heads to his room. I go to mine and change into my pj's and wash all of the make-up off my face. I climb into bed and think about the events of the night. I fall asleep feeling Jace's lips against mine.

_***Sigh* I love the how protective Jon is. I just couldn't make him evil. **_

_**So how was it? Is it confusing going from Clary's point of view to Jace's? Reviews help to know how to improve! **_

_**Until next time. . . . Review, Review, Review :)**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying this story. Just a couple of things...Some of the characters in this story are very minor (like Aline from the store Clary bought things for her room - I probably could've just made up a name). In this chapter we meet Jordan and Maia, and they may appear again later - not sure yet, but yeah, I just wanted to use their names I guess. Well, I guess that's it for now, so here's Chapter 5! Enjoy! :)**_

_**I don't own anything!**_

**Chapter 5:**

_****Chapter Songs:**** _

_Collide by Howie Day _

_Through Glass by Stone Sour _

_Hey Now by Augustana_

It's been a week since the club and needless to say, Jace is as confusing as ever. The next day, I saw him and he acted like nothing had happened. So I thought that maybe I was reading too much into that kiss. Then the next time I saw him, he was acting like all he wanted to do was kiss me again. He is so confusing and exasperating, and he is driving me crazy.

I got the job waitressing. I have been working there for the past four nights. Tips are great, but I'm going to have to get used to the drunken men groping my ass all the time. My boss, Magnus, says to let the customers do what they want unless it crosses the line. Whatever that means. I think groping my ass is crossing the line, but I don't want to lose my job. Today is Friday and I'm getting ready to leave when Jon comes home. He looks a little preoccupied.

"Jon? Is everything ok?" I ask as he walks by me without a word. He turns around and realizes he didn't speak to me. His eyes widen.

"I'm sorry, dew drop. I'm just a little in shock right now. One of my friends is getting married and I didn't even know he was seeing anyone. He wasn't a month ago."

"Which friend?"

"Jordan. You remember? You were supposed to meet him the night you met Jace and Alec, but he had other plans. Well, I guess we all know what those other plans were."

"Well that's great. Why aren't you happy for him?"

"I am, it's just a surprise is all. We're taking him out tonight to celebrate single life before he gets tied down for good."

"You say that like it's the worst thing in the world. Finding someone to spend the rest of your life with. You will never be lonely again. It sounds pretty damn good to me." I say wistfully.

"You're right. It doesn't sound so bad when you put it that way. But we're all too young for that right now." he says with a grin.

"I gotta go to work. I'll see you later." I say turning toward the door.

"Bye, Clare-bear." My brother says as I close the door. I walk down the hall and turn the corner and run right into Jace. My bag with my work clothes fall to the floor and spill partly out. I quickly stuff them back into my bag hoping Jace didn't see them and stand back up.

"Sorry, Jace. I should've been watching where I was walking."

"It's ok. I should've been more careful. You heading out?"

"Yeah. I gotta go to work." He nods his head and moves out of my way so I can pass. "Have a nice night, Clary."

I glance up at him and he's staring at me. I don't know what comes over me, but I step closer to him and I hear him take in a breath. I reach up and kiss him on the cheek. He releases his breath and looks at me, shock evident on his face.

"You too, Jace." I say and bound down the steps and out the door. Once outside, I blow out the breath I didn't know I was holding. _Why did I just do that?_ Shaking my head, I walk quickly to work.

o.O.o

JPOV

She kissed me. I cup my cheek that Clary just kissed, feeling the burn her lips caused. Every time, she touches me, it's like my skin explodes. I'm so confused when it comes to her. The day after that amazing kiss in the club, I tried to stay away from her. I know I don't deserve her. But I can't stay away. I keep finding excuses to see her and touch her. And God, do I ever want to kiss her again. I go home to find Alec and Jon talking about Jordan.

"Jace, did you know Jordan met someone and now he's getting married?" Alec asks as I walk into the living room.

"No, I haven't talked to Jordan in a while. He's getting married? How soon?"

"Very soon. We're taking him out tonight for a bachelor night. You in?" Jon asks me.

"Sure. I know just the place to take him." I say with a grin. We all go get ready and meet outside the building to pick up Jordan. When we get to Jordan's apartment, a pretty girl with dark skin and shoulder length curly brown hair answers the door. Jordan appears behind her and wraps his arm around her waist.

"Hey guys. This is my girl, Maia. Maia, these are my boys, Jon, Alec, and Jace." Jordan introduces us.

After a little small talk, we leave and head to a place called Magnus'. It's a step up from a strip club, but not much of a step up. We walk in and I see a waitress dressed in a skimpy little outfit. Then it hits me. When I ran into Clary, she dropped her bag and some clothes spilled out. It was the same ones as the waitress in front of me has on. I instantly look around and then I see a flash of red. Her back is turned to us and she is standing at a table full of middle-aged men. She is handing them their drinks and one of the pervs reaches over and puts his hand on her ass. _That bastard better get his hands off my girl. Wait. What?_ I excuse myself from my friends and head over to Clary. She is trying to step out of reach of the groper, but he keeps grabbing her. I walk up to the table and grab the bastard's hand and throw it off of her.

"I don't think she likes that very much. Maybe you should keep your hands to yourself." Clary pales instantly and looks around. She grabs my arm and pulls me behind the bar. She is still frantically looking around.

"Jace, what are you doing here? And please tell me Jon is not with you." she says, her voice trembling a little.

"Clary what are you doing? Why are you working here? I can't believe that guy had his hands all over your ass." I say, anger seeping out.

"I can take care of myself. You didn't need to step in back there." she says glaring at me.

"Jace? What are you doing back there buddy?" Jon asks coming over to me.

"Hell." I hear Clary squeak. Then Jon sees her. His eyes widen at the sight of her in that outfit. Then his face turns as red as Clary's hair.

"Clarissa Garroway! What the hell are you doing here?" Jon yells. I look at Clary and she flinches at her full name and then she narrows her eyes and puts her hands on her tiny hips.

"I'm working Jon. Now if you two will excuse me, I need to go." She tries to walk by but Jon grabs her gently by the arm.

"No way, Clary. I told you you didn't need to work. I'll take care of you. Please don't stay here. Isabelle is looking for help at her shop. Anything would be better than here." Jon pleads.

"Jon, it's not like I'm stripping."

"That will be the next thing they ask you to do." Jon says.

"Oh, come on Jon. Look at me." she say spreading her arms wide. "I have the body of a 12 year old boy. They are not going to ask me to strip." she says._ She can't possibly think that's true. She is hot._

"Clary, please, please don't do this. Mom will kill me if I knowingly let you work here. I'm supposed to be making things better for you here."

Clary's face softens and she hugs Jon around the waist. "You are making things better for me. I'll put my notice in tonight, ok?"

"Thanks Clare-bear. I'll help you find another job. Come on. I'm not letting you out of my sight until you get off." Jon says pulling Clary along with him.

She rolls her eyes and glances at me and gives me a small smile. I walk over to the bar and sit down next to Jordan. Jon is following around behind Clary to make sure she doesn't get groped or anything.

"So, Jordan. Getting married,eh?"

"Yeah man, I am. Maia is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I never thought I wanted someone serious you know, but the moment I saw her, I knew that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." Jordan says, with a huge grin.

"How did you know?" I ask.

"Well, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I actually wanted to know everything about her. I kept finding ways to see her and the first time we kissed, I thought I was going to pass out from the intense feeling I got." he says and looks over at me.

_Shiiiit! That's how I feel about Clary. Surely, I'm not in love with her right?_ I glance behind me and it's like my eyes know exactly where to look to find her. And as if she can sense me looking, she looks up and her eyes meet mine. Her cheeks turn a slight pink, and then she turns away. I turn back around and Jordan is smirking at me.

"I see you may not be far behind me." he says and then gets up and walks away. _SHIT, SHIT, SHIT_. This is not good. I look back and really look at her. I do think about her all the time, I do want to know everything about her, and the way she kisses me, the way my body reacts just to her simple touches….It's then I know. _I'm in love with Clary…._

I make my way outside to call Isabelle. If I'm going to pursue this, I'll need her on board. The phone rings once, twice, three times, then she answers.

"Jace what do you want?" she says, sounding irritated.

"Iz, I need your help."

"I'm not bailing you out of jail. Call mom."

"No, not that kind of help. I really like Clary. Like a lot. I need your help with her." I say a little desperately. _No need to tell anyone just how much I actually like her._ There's a pause on the line and at first I think she may have hung up.

"Well, it's about time you admit that. I've known since the first time I saw you two together. But Jace, are you sure about this? You're not going to get tired of her and throw her out when you do are you? She can't take that. She's had a rough time recently and I don't want to see her hurt any more than she already is."

"What do you mean she's had a rough time recently?" I ask thinking about all the times she has gotten upset about something.

"It's not my place to say anything. But just know, as tough as she acts on the outside, she isn't on the inside. I'll invite her and Jon to the beach house next weekend. Make sure this is what you want, Jace. No more girls over every other night." she says sternly.

"I haven't had anyone over since I met her. I haven't even kissed anyone but her. I am absolutely sure that she's the only one I want." I say, meaning every word. I hang up and think how I will let Clary know how I feel. I'm going to show her and by next weekend, hopefully she'll be mine.

At the end of the night, I walk with Clary back home while Jon and Alec take Jordan home. When we get to our apartments, I step in front of her. A curl has escaped her bun, so I reach over and tuck it behind her ear. Her cheeks turn pink and I lean down and brush my lips against her cheek.

I whisper in her ear, "Good night." I turn and go to my door. I chance another look and see her standing in front of her door a little dazed. I smirk and walk into my apartment. I go to my room and smile. I think she may like me too.

_**Ta Da! I hope you liked it. I know you were all probably wanting more from Magnus, but I haven't decided what to do with him. His character really isn't speaking to me right now. I hope that doesn't disappoint you all too much. And who knows, he may become something later. Let me know your thoughts and ideas!**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	7. Chapter 6

_**First of all, I would like to thank all who have reviewed. Everyone has been so encouraging! **_

_**All characters belong to Cassandra Clare and the music is not mine either! **_

_**Enjoy! :)**_

**Chapter 6:**

****Chapter Songs:****

_ Eyes Closed by The Narrative _

_Speechless by Morning Parade _

_Fall by Cider Sky_

_**Knock, Knock, Knock.**_

I turn over in the bed and snuggle back into my pillow. Just as I start to drift off, I feel the mattress shift with the weight of someone sitting beside me. I groan and turn back over. I slowly open my eyes and see gold. Jace is sitting on my bed staring down at me. I bolt up with my eyes wide.

"What are you doing here?" He smiles and twirls a curl around his finger before tucking it behind my ear.

"We're going running. Get up and get dressed."

"Ugh. Why do you think I would want to do that at. . . ." I look at the clock beside my bed. "7:15 in the morning?" He chuckles and pulls my hands until I stand up beside the bed. He looks down my body and then raises his eyes to mine. Something flashes in them but it's gone quickly.

"Come on. I'll even buy you breakfast after. Please."

I bite my lip to hide my smile and say, "Fine. Get out so I can change." pushing him toward the door.

Once he's out I take a deep breath and find some shorts and a tank top and some running shoes. I walk out and go in the bathroom. When I see my reflection in the mirror, I groan. I have serious bed head and I look awful. A pang shoots through my chest at the thought that Jace saw me looking so bad. I brush my teeth and fix my hair in a side braid. Once I'm finished, I walk out and meet Jace in the living room. He turns and smiles at me. He walks up to me and runs his fingers down my braid.

"You are really beautiful, you know?" he says softly. I stare at him frozen. I can't think of anything to say. He smiles and grabs my hand and pulls me to the door.

"Let's go." Jace leads me outside and we begin a light jog down the sidewalk. He keeps up conversation the whole time, making me laugh often. I find myself enjoying myself immensely even if we are doing something I don't particularly like. After several blocks, Jace leads me to a park. It's not like the one near our apartment. This one is just grassy fields and trees. He steers us to some trees at the edge of a field and plops down in the shade. I follow and fall back on the ground, looking up through the leaves at the sun. We're both breathing hard and when I turn my head to look at him, he's already looking at me. _Maybe Isabelle was right. He does seem to look at me a lot._

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing." he says, shaking his head.

"Nuh uh. Tell me. What are you thinking about right now?" I say rolling on my side and propping up on my elbow and resting my head in my hand. He looks into my eyes for a second.

"I really like spending time with you. I'd like to get to know you better if you'll let me." he reaches over and rubs his finger against my cheek, making it instantly turn red.

"I like spending time with you too. I'm sorry for the way I treated you when we first met. I was wrong about you. I would like to get to know you better too." I say smiling.

"Well, then let's get some breakfast and we'll play 20 questions." he says standing up and offering me his hand. I place mine in his and he pulls me up. He pulls too hard and I crash right into his chest. He wraps an arm around my waist to keep me from falling. There is a charge running through us at the places our skin touches. I shiver and my skin erupts in gooosebumps.

"You okay?" he asks, his voice low and rough.

I close my eyes trying to get my bearings. When I open them, his face is right in front of mine. His lips are just a centimeter away from mine. I feel his warm breath fan my face and I can almost taste him on my tongue. _Oh, how I want to taste him._ I lean in just slightly and my mouth brushes against his. I feel his breath hitch and I lean further in and capture his lips fully. He pulls me impossibly tighter against him and his tongue slides across my bottom lip. He takes my lip into his mouth and bites down gently. I let out a small squeak and take his top lip in my mouth. His tongue moves inside and caresses mine. I wrap my hands around his neck and run my hands through his silky blond curls. He groans in my mouth and I open wider and he kisses me long and languorously. After a while, oxygen becomes a must, so we break apart and he places his forehead against mine. He places a chaste kiss and smiles against my lips.

I pull back and ask, "What are you grinning about?"

"I already told you. You are a fantastic kisser."

"Well, you're not so bad yourself."

"Not bad, eh? Tell me how to make them better. I want my kisses to be the best you've ever had. And I want them to drive you crazy like yours do me." he whispers in my ear. I tremble at the sensation and I grab his face and slam my mouth to his.

"You don't need to do anything to them. They are absolutely perfect." I say against his lips.

I step back smiling. He smiles back and grabs my hand and we leave the park to get breakfast. At the restaurant, Jace starts the 20 questions.

"You ready to play 20 questions? Here's the rules. We can ask anything about each other and if it's too personal, we can say pass. Got it?" I nod my head yes and he starts.

"What is your favorite color?"

"I love all colors. What do you do for a living?"

"Starting out with the heavy questions I see. Well, right now I'm in between jobs. I'll be starting a sports training job in the fall. What are you wanting to do? I know it's not working at Magnus'."

"Um no, definitely not. Well I was taking art classes at the community college back home….Um right now, I don't really know. I'm kinda just getting through each day." I look down for a minute and then look back at Jace to see he is studying me.

"Why did you stop taking classes?"

"Um….pass." I feel my face drain of color and I feel the need for some air. "Uh, I need to….I'll be right back." I say, standing up and going outside.

I close my eyes and breathe in deeply and hold it in. I release the breath and open my eyes and Jace is standing right in front of me with a look of concern.

"Clary, I know you don't want to talk about whatever it is that makes you upset. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here if you need me." he reaches over and puts his hand on my cheek and leans down and kisses my forehead. I close my eyes and breathe him in.

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." I say smiling weakly.

We leave the restaurant and walk around the city and talk about trivial things that don't cause me discomfort. We spend the entire day together and join Jon and Isabelle for dinner. As we sit down to eat, Isabelle and Jon sitting next to each other, much to my brother's delight, and Jace and I across from them.

"Next weekend is the 4th of July and we always go to my parent's beach house. You both are invited to come. It's so much fun, isn't it Jace?" Isabelle says while sipping on her wine.

"Yeah, we always have a good time. I love it there. I'd love to show you around." he says turning his gaze on me. _He has been so nice lately. Wonder what's up with him?_

"I don't see why we couldn't go, do you Jon?" I say looking over at my brother, who is studying Jace with an unreadable expression.

"I wouldn't miss it." Jon says while keeping his eyes locked on Jace.

Isabelle notices the tension and starts talking about mindless things engaging Jon once again. I sneak a glance at Jace and see him staring at his plate. Under the table, I reach over and squeeze his hand. His head whips toward me and I give him a small smile. He smiles and squeezes my hand back. The rest of dinner, we eat and keep our hands clasped together.

o.O.o

A few days later, Jace and Alec come by to watch baseball with Jon. I'm in my room drawing. Before I know it, I have drawn a picture of Jace. _God, he's hot!_ I'm still confused with my feelings for Jace. He's not the type to date one person seriously, and I'm not the type that likes to share. However, something changed the night he found me at Magnus'. He's been hanging around a lot. Every day, we do something together and every night, he is here. If he's seeing other people, when does he see them? _ERRR! What am I going on about? Here I am wondering if he's seeing other people and we're not even seeing each other!_ I throw my sketch pad across the room and pull on my hair.

"Cherry drop? What's wrong?" Jon asks coming into my room and kneeling down in front of me.

"Nothing, I'm fine." He gives me a look that says he doesn't believe me.

"Come in here and hang out with us. You don't need to be in here all by yourself." he says pulling on my hands to follow him out of the room. He pulls me in to his side and gives me a gentle squeeze.

"Jon? I love you." I say laying my head on his shoulder.

"I love you, too shortcake." He kisses me on the top of the head and releases me to go back to his seat next to Alec, leaving me to sit on the loveseat with Jace. I sit down and he glances at me.

He leans closer and whispers, "You okay?" I nod and give him a small smile. He smiles back and pats my knee and goes back to watching the game. Someone knocks on the door and I get up to answer it. Isabelle walks in when I open the door.

"Clary, get your shoes on, we're going shopping." she says turning and giving me a sly smile.

"Why are we going shopping?" I ask as I grab my shoes and put them on.

"Because, we're going to the beach in a few days and I am going to find you the perfect bathing suit. You are going to look so hot when I'm finished with you." she says glancing at Jace. Jace raises both eyebrows and bites his lip to hide his grin. I roll my eyes at Isabelle.

"It'll take more than a bathing suit to make me hot, Isabelle. Unless you do plastic surgery, it's not going to happen." I say to her with my hands on my hips.

"Oh, honey! You have no clue the effect you have on men." Isabelle says shaking her head at me sadly. Jace says something under his breath and it sounded like "Amen to that." Whatever that means. Isabelle smirks at Jace and grabs my hand pulling me toward the door.

"You need some money, Cherry-berry?" Jon asks, taking out his wallet and handing me his credit card. Isabelle grabs the card from Jon and gives him a wink and leads me out of the apartment.

Isabelle takes me to an upscale shop and has me try on a dozen or so suits. Each time I come out, she shakes her head.

"Isabelle. What exactly are you looking for? I have tried on so many and you haven't liked a single one." I whine at her. "Why are you even doing this? I'll be with your family and Jon." Isabelle looks at me and then bites her lip and looks away.

"What Isabelle? What's going on?" I ask her. She sighs and looks at me with a serious expression.

"Okay. I'm not supposed to say anything, but you seem to have no clue so I'm just going to tell you. You can't tell Jace I told you anything."

"O-kay. . . ." I say waiting for her to say whatever it is.

"Jace likes you. Like really likes you. And I'm helping you find the perfect bathing suit to make him drool because I think it's fun to mess with him." she says with a shrug.

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from him because of his reputation." I say in shock at this revelation.

"Well, I think you may be the one that changes him. I've already seen changes in him. He told me he hasn't been with anyone or even wanted to be with anyone besides you since he met you. I don't think you understand how huge that it is for him." she says sincerely. I don't know what to say. How can he like me? I'm so plain next to him. Isabelle touches my arm and smiles at me.

"Do you like him too?"

"I uh….I mean I don't not like him. I find it hard to believe he likes me more than as a friend. I'm not pretty enough to attract someone like him."

"Clary, you are beautiful. Trust me. Now I'm going to help you see how beautiful you are. Let's find a rocking bathing suit that will have Jace wrapped around your finger." Isabelle says and goes to find me some more to try on.

I shake my head and think about what she said. _Don't get your hopes up Clary! Things like this do not happen to girls like you._ I decide right then that I don't believe it. It's the only way to protect myself from the disappointment I'll be sure to have. I go back in the dressing room and wait for Isabelle to bring me some more things to try on. After we find two that are up to Isabelle's standards, we go to a few more places and she makes me buy some outfits for the beach. She says she's going to completely make me over to get Jace to admit his feelings for me. I still don't believe he thinks of me like that, but I'm going to have to see if Isabelle is right.

_**There you go! I know Clary is lacking some self-confidence but she's not used to the attention. Also, is anyone listening to the chapter music? Is it good , is it too distracting, or what? Let me know your thoughts! :)**_

_**Until next time. . . . **_


	8. Chapter 7

_**I got 30 reviews already and I am super excited about that! Thank you to all who have reviewed or sent me messages...**_

_**I don't know if you are listening to the music while reading but I highly suggest that you listen to the last song listed. The scenes is where Clary goes to Jon's room toward the end of the chapter before Jace's point of view. Also this chapter may be a tissue alert for the easy criers. Just giving you a head's up! :)**_

_**As usual, I do not own the characters or the music! Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 7:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Echo by Jason Walker_

_Flying High by Jem_

_Storm by Lifehouse_

I just finished eating lunch when Jon comes home. I look at the clock on the stove surprised he's home this early.

"Jon, what are you doing home?" I ask, coming out of the kitchen.

"We're going to the beach, shorty. Did you forget?" he says patting me on the head and walking into his room.

I follow him and stand just in the doorway. "No, I didn't forget, but we aren't leaving until everyone gets off work. "

"Well, everyone is off work, so we're heading out early. Jace and Alec went to pick up a vehicle to carry us all." he says while throwing clothes on the bed to pack. "Are you already packed?"

"Isabelle packed for me last night. I don't think she has much confidence in me to pack for myself." I say walking over to fold all the clothes that he threw on the bed.

He grabs a duffle bag and starts stuffing the neatly folded clothes in the bag. "Thanks, Clare-bear." he says ruffling my hair as he walks to his bathroom.

"Jon?" I ask and sit on his bed looking down at my feet.

"Yeah?" He walks back in the room carrying his toiletries and puts them in the bag.

"Do you remember the last time we went to the beach with Mom and Luke?"

He sits beside me on the bed and wraps an arm around my shoulder. "I remember. We all had a lot of fun that time."

I nod still looking at my feet. "I miss him, Jon. So much. I'm afraid the beach will remind me too much of him."

He squeezes me gently and sighs. "I miss him too, berry. And it's ok to still be sad. But you shouldn't forget all of the memories you and Simon shared. I promise one day it will be easier to think about him. It just takes some time."

"I guess you're right. I'm going to go finish packing. What time are we leaving?" I ask, getting up and walking to the door.

"As soon as they get back with the car. You gonna be ok?"

"I'll be fine. See you in a little bit." I say walking to my room.

Once I get there, I sit down in the window seat and look out at the park. I start thinking about the last time I was at the beach. Simon got stung by a jellyfish on the bottom of his foot and Jon and I had to drag him back to the house so mom could look at it. I remember how girly he acted when we were getting him to mom. Once she cleaned it and put some kind of cream on it, it was fine but he acted like he couldn't walk and Jon and I had to wait on him the rest of the day. I was so lost in my memories; I didn't notice someone coming into my room.

Something touches my hair. I look up and Jace is kneeling beside me by the window seat. He smiles but it quickly fades and is replaced with concern.

"What's wrong?" he asks and tucks my hair behind my ear.

"Nothing, now." I give him a small smile. "Are we ready to go?" I say standing up and reaching for my bag, but Jace is quicker and he grabs it before I can .

"Yep. Isabelle just got here and Alec and Jon are loading the suburban. I came to see if you were ready." His fingers brush against my hand. I look down at how close our hands are and at that moment, all I want is to feel warmth. Sometimes I feel so cold and alone, like right now. I'm tired of feeling like this so I place my hand in his and our fingers automatically lace together like they were made to do this. Jace looks at our hands and then raises them to his mouth where he places a soft kiss on the back of my hand. I feel my face blush and he smiles.

"I love seeing you blush." he says and then pulls me out of my room and down the hall. We walk hand in hand down to meet everyone else. He throws my bag in the back while I climb in the very back seat. Jon gets in the driver seat and Isabelle sits in the passenger seat, Alec stretches out in the middle leaving Jace to sit next to me in the very back. I look up and catch Jon's eyes in the rearview mirror. His eyebrows furrow and then turns his attention to driving and Isabelle. I look over at Jace. He's looking out the window. I take a minute to study him and think about the little gestures he's done in the last few weeks. Holding my hand, the kissing a few times, tucking my hair behind my ear, touching my face, the smiles. _Do all of these things add up to him having feelings for me?_ I lean my head on the seat and Jace slides closer until our shoulders touch and he picks up my hand and laces our fingers together. I smile and close my eyes.

"Clary….wake up. We're here." someone whispers in my ear. My eyes flutter open and I pick my head up from the shoulder I'm lying on. I look down and there's a hand on my thigh and my arm wrapped around the arm it's attached to. I sit up straighter and look to my right. Jace chuckles and says, "You look so confused. What's wrong?"

I shake my head, "Nothing. I'm sorry I fell asleep on you and apparently took your arm hostage."

Jace laughs again, "Does it look like I'm complaining? Come one, let me show you inside."

We climb out of the suburban and Isabelle winks at me. "Mom and dad are already here. Come on guys."

"I follow Isabelle in as Jace, Jon, and Alec grab all of the bags out of the back. When we get inside, Isabelle calls out for her parents, announcing that we've arrived.

A slender woman with black hair pulled into a low ponytail comes in to the foyer followed by a tall man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. The woman looks just like Isabelle and Alec.

"Mom, Dad, this is my friend Clary and her brother Jon. They live next door to Alec and Jace." Isabelle gestures, introducing us.

"Welcome! I'm Maryse and this is my husband Robert. We're so glad you both could come." the woman-Maryse says shaking both mine and Jon's hands. Robert does the same.

"Where's Max?" Alec asks his parents.

"Oh, you know. Probably somewhere reading those comics or playing his video games. MAX!" Maryse yells. "Your brothers and sister are here!"

"Coming!" a small voice yells back.

A skinny boy with brown hair and big glasses covering his brown eyes walks into the foyer. He looks to be about 9 or 10 years old. My breath catches in my throat and my eyes start stinging. I turn to Jon abruptly with my eyes wide and he sees it too. This boy looks just like Simon did at that age. He grabs my arm and holds me up. I try to take a calming breath but it seems to be stuck in my throat.

"Max, these are our friends, Jon and Clary." Alec says ruffling Max's hair. Max looks at us and cocks his head to the side when he looks at me. He walks right up to me, never breaking eye contact and hugs me around the waist. I look down at him and slowly my arms go around him and hug him back. He pulls back and smiles.

"You're pretty." he says looking up at me. I swallow the lump down and smile back.

"Thanks."

Everyone seems to be taking in the strange scene with varying looks of shock and confusion. Max releases me and stands in front of Jon and says, "It's nice to meet you." He then hugs his siblings and looking at me one more time, he walks back the way he came. I don't know what to make of it. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Jace holding my bag.

"I'll show you your room. Come on." he says and begins taking the stairs two at a time. I follow and he leads me to a hall with several rooms.

"This is where we will be staying. My parents have a bedroom downstairs. This is Max's room, Alec's, Jon's, mine, yours, and Isabelle's is there." He points to each room as we pass them. I can't help but notice that he is directly across the hall from me. He walks into my room and drops the bag on the bed.

"Thanks." I say quietly. My mind is still muddled from the encounter with the boy who looks like Simon.

"I'll be across the hall if you need anything. Maybe later we can walk down to the beach or something." he says, rubbing my arm down from my shoulder to my wrist.

"Sure. I'd like that." I say shivering at his touch.

He walks out of my room and I rush to Jon's room.

"Jon. Oh my God. Did you see how much he looks like him? I could hardly breathe. How am I going to be around him and not freak out?" I'm about to have a panic attack. I need to calm down.

Jon places his hands on my face and looks me in the eye. "Clary….look at me. Now take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It's going to be ok. Do you hear me? You are not alone anymore. You have me and we have friends here that will do anything for you. I know it's hard, but you've got to get control Clary. Let us help you. Maybe if you talked to someone besides me it would help you heal." Jon says, calming me a little bit. I take a deep breath.

"You're right. I'm going to take a walk. I need some air." I say shakily.

"Ok, but don't go far."

"I won't. Be back soon." I say and walk out of Jon's room and down the stairs and out the door. I walk down toward the beach and take my shoes off so my toes can squish in the sand. I sit down on the sand and stare out at the waves crashing against the shore.

"God, Simon….why did you leave me?" I whisper. I pull my knees to my chest and begin to cry silent tears. I try not to, but I can't help thinking of him. One day Jon and I were kicking a ball back and forth in the backyard. Jon kicked it too hard and it went in the neighbor's yard. I ran to get it and found Simon sitting under a bush watching us.

_ "What are you doing under here?" _

_ "Watching you guys play."_

_ "You wanna come play with us?"_

_ "Sure. I'm Simon. We just moved here."_

_ "I'm Clary and that's my brother Jon."_

_ "Clary, what's taking you so long to get the ball?"_

_I grab Simon by the hand and pull him into my yard. "Jon, this is Simon. He's now my best friend."_

I was 4 at the time. Simon and I were inseparable after that. Mostly, it was Jon, Simon, and I doing things together. Simon went on every family vacation with us, joined us for every holiday, and walked with me to school every day from Kindergarten through twelfth grade. He was the best. He always surprised me on my birthday with some crazy gift. I choke on a sob realizing that this birthday, there will be no surprises. No more Christmas', vacations, or pulling an all-nighter watching ridiculous movies.

I lay my head on my knees and try to pull myself together. I take a few deep breaths and squeeze my eyes tight. It's then that I feel the first few drop of rain splash down on me. I look up at the sky and smile. I stay there in the rain letting it wash over me.

o.O.o

JPOV

After I leave Clary in her room, I go to mine and unpack my clothes. I lie down on the bed and think of how Max greeted Clary. That was so weird. I was watching her – _like I always am – _and when she saw Max come in to meet them, she spun around to Jon, her face pale and eyes wide. He gripped her arm like she was going to faint or something. Then Max did something I've never seen him do before. He looked Clary in the eye and hugged her. He's always so shy, hardly ever looks people in the eye unless they're family of he knows a person really well. It was just so odd. I get up and walk out into the hall and hear Clary's frantic voice in Jon's room. I know I shouldn't listen but I can't seem to back away.

'"Clary….look at me. Now take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It's going to be ok. Do you hear me? You are not alone anymore. You have me and we have friends here that will do anything for you. I know it's hard, but you've got to get control Clary. Let us help you. Maybe if you talked to someone besides me it would help you heal."' I hear Jon say. _What does she need healing from?_

'"You're right. I'm going to take a walk. I need some air."' Clary says and I force my feet back in the direction of my room. When I hear her go down the stairs, I go into Jon's room. He looks up from his bag with a look of surprise on his face.

"Jace. What's up buddy?"

"Listen, I know you don't want me and Clary to get together, but I realized something the other day when we took Jordan out. I'm in love with her. I know I haven't known her long and I _know_ she deserves better than me, but I want to help her with whatever she's dealing with…. What?"

Jon is looking at me with a speculative look. "Why do you think you're in love with my sister?"

"Well, since I've met her, I can't get her out of mind, I want to know her, I've spent every second I could with her, I can't stand to see her upset, and I think she's amazing. Jordan told me that's when he knew that Maia was the one for him. Then I realized that I felt the same way about Clary."

"Just because Jordan felt that way, doesn't mean that it's love. Maybe you're just infatuated with the chase, and then you'll get bored and go off to start another chase."

"Jon, I haven't hooked up with anyone since I met her. I haven't even wanted to hook up with anyone. I would never hurt her. Right now, I know she's hurting and it's making me crazy that I can't take that away from her. I have never cared about how I was before, but now I regret everything because when I want to be serious about someone, no one believes I'm capable of it."

Jon looks down for what seems like an eternity before meeting my eyes. "If you're serious about this, I'm not going to get in the way. You are one of my closest friends, but you have to understand that Clary is probably the most important person in my life. We've always been close and I have been protecting her all my life. However, I realize there's only so much I can do for her. She needs someone to lean on even though she will _never _admit that."

"You mean that?" I ask hopefully.

"Yeah, I do. I've noticed how you look at her. She went for a walk to the beach. Go. She needs you."

And that's all I need to hear. I practically run out of there and down to the beach. It's starting to rain. And then I see her and my breath catches. _Jesus!_

**_There you have it! Did it make you as sad to read as it did for me to write? Leave me your thoughts or suggestions! :))_**

**_Until next time. . . . _**


	9. Chapter 8

_**Here we are! I love the music in the first song. You should listen to it when you read the first part. I want to say I am amazed at the support I am getting through your reviews! They inspire me to keep writing this story... So enough with the author's note!**_

_**You know the drill - blah, blah, blah (I own nothing!)**_

**Chapter 8:**

_****Chapter Songs:****_

_The Funeral by Band of Horses_

_A Message by Coldplay_

I have never seen a more beautiful sight. A soaking wet Clary standing barefoot in the rain with her face turned up toward the sky with her eyes closed and small smile on her lips. I drift closer to her until I'm standing right in front of her. She lowers her head and gazes right into my eyes. I can't do anything but stare deep into her emerald green eyes. I don't think she can be more beautiful. I was wrong. Her smile lights up her face and my heart stutters in my chest.

"Don't you just love the rain?" she asks me quietly, holding her hands up letting the raindrops pool in her palms.

"I usually don't stay out in it like this, but it's not so bad." I say, still mesmerized by her presence right now.

"I do. I like to think the rain washes away the sadness and leaves me clean. Sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

"No. It doesn't sound stupid at all. If it helps, then why not." I say shrugging. "I wish you never had to feel any sadness. Do you want to talk about it?"

She sighs and shakes her head. "No, but I think maybe it's time I did." She glances back at the ocean and then back to me.

"I know somewhere we can go if you want." I offer, reaching out my hand. She looks at my hand for a second and places her tiny hand in mine. My whole body fills with warmth from her touch. I pull her forward and lead her to the bottom of the rocky cliffs at the end of the beach. When we were little, Alec and I found a small cave inside one of the cliffs. We used to hide in there from Isabelle. I spot the opening and pull her in after me. I sit down on the soft sand and she sits close by me. Our knees touching. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

"I met Simon when I was 4 years old. He moved in next door to us and I made him be my best friend the first day I met him." She smiles a small smile remembering this. "From that day, he was with me. It was always me, Jon, and Simon. He walked me to school every day until we graduated high school, he went on vacations with us, and was with us for every holiday." She pauses and closes her eyes and squeezes them tightly. I know this is the part of the story that is hard for her so I reach over and place my hand on top of hers and lace our fingers together and give them a squeeze. She opens her eyes and looks at me. Her eyes are shining with tears. "A little over two months ago, I was at school taking some art classes and studying at the library for a research project I had to do. It was getting late and I really didn't want to walk all the way home. So I called Simon, knowing he would drop whatever he was doing and come get me." She swallows hard and looks through the opening of the cave. "A car ran a red light and hit Simon on the driver's side, killing him instantly." Turning back to look at me with tears streaming down her face, she says, "If I hadn't called Simon that night….if I would've walked home like I was supposed to….Simon would not be dead. He wouldn't be buried in the town cemetery and his name would not be engraved on a headstone."

I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her waist and she buried her head in the crook of my neck. I held her for a long time, rubbing my hand down her back in what I hope is a soothing gesture. Hell, I've never comforted someone before. _I never wanted to before._ After a while, she pulls back and looks at me with swollen, red eyes. "I'm a mess." she says. "A complete mess."

"You're not a mess. It's not your fault what happened to him. You can't blame yourself. The guilt will eat at you until you can't stand it. Would he want you to blame yourself for what happened?"

"No, he would tell me to suck it up and move on. Be happy. I just don't know how anymore, you know?"

"You just have to let yourself do whatever you think will make you happy. No more doubts, just take a deep breath and go for it." I say, trying to make her feel better, but as I say the words out loud, I realize I need to listen to my own advice.

We stare at each other for a few seconds. She searches my face for something, I don't know what. A look of determination flashes in her eyes and before I can process it, she slams her mouth onto mine and kisses me. This kiss is filled with pain, grief, and a little bit of hope. I kiss her back with as much emotion as I can muster. We break apart, breathing heavily just inches away from each other.

"I think you may be right, Jace Wayland." she says, and with that she stands and walks out of the cave.

o.O.o

The rain ends and when Jace and I walk back to the house, Maryse and Robert are leaving to go to some annual cook out with a neighbor, leaving all of us plus Max. After talking with Jace and letting go of some my grief, I feel a lot better. As the Lightwood's are leaving, Jon walks over to me and Jace.

"She got you to walk around in the rain I see. She's always loved the rain." And then quietly, he adds, "Are you alright, Cherry-bear?"

I hug him around the waist and he squeezes me back. "Yeah, I think I am."

He plants a kiss to the top of my head and looks at Jace and gives him a slight nod and smiles.

The rest of the night, we play board games and video games together. I really enjoy spending time with Max. He is so similar to Simon, it almost feels like he's here with me now. I smile at that. When it gets late, Alec tells Max it's time for bed.

"Ok. Can Clary tuck me in?" Max asks.

Everyone looks at me and I quickly get over my shock and smile over at the little boy.

"I would love to, Max."

He gets up and grasps my hand and pulls me up the stairs to his room. He climbs in the bed and I pull the covers up around him.

"Clary?"

"Hmm?"

"You were sad earlier and now you look happier. I'm glad. Jace always makes me feel better, too."

"Why do you think Jace made me feel better?"

"Because you love each other." he says around a yawn. I stare down at the boy as his eyes close. I shake my head, remembering that he's just a kid. _Don't be stupid Clary! What does a kid know about love? In fact, what do you know about love?_

I turn off the lamp beside the bed and quietly leave Max's room. When I close the door and turn toward the stairs, I bump into a warm body.

"Jace! You scared me! Um, he's asleep." I say thrusting my thumb toward Max's room.

"Thanks. You must be pretty special because Max took to you instantly. He's always so shy around new people, but you….I don't know, he acts like he's known you forever."

We walk down the hall and stop outside my room.

"Are you going to sleep now?" Jace asks.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm pretty tired." I say looking down.

Jace bends down and kisses me on the cheek. "Goodnight, Clary." he whispers.

I reach up and cup his face and place a soft kiss on his lips. "Goodnight, Jace." I say and go in my room and close the door. I go to sleep with a smile on my face for the first time since the accident.

o.O.o

I wake up feeling something tickling my face. I slowly open my eyes and see an inky black head leaning over me.

"Ugh. Isabelle! What in the hell are you doing?

"You were having some sort of dream so I leaned closer to hear what you were mumbling about." she says with a shrug. Like it's perfectly normal for her to be in my room in the first place.

"No, I mean why are you in here this early in the morning?" I ask and glare at her.

"Oh. First of all, it's not that early and second, I came to get you ready for the beach."

"It's the beach, Isabelle. You put on your bathing suit, sunscreen, throw your hair up and you're good to go." I say as I climb out of the bed and walk to the dresser to get out a bathing suit.

"Nope. That's not it at all. Come on. Sit down and let me work my magic on you. Jace will be drooling all day after I'm done with you." she says with a devious smile.

I scowl at her but sit down where she pointed. As she gets to work on the tangled knots in my hair I ask, "Isabelle? What was I mumbling when I was dreaming?"

"I couldn't tell most of it, but there was one thing I heard clearly."

"What was that?"

"You said 'Jace'."

I blush and try to remember what I was dreaming about but I can't. Instead my thoughts drift and I wonder how Jace will act today. Will he be the nice, attentive guy he's been the past few days, or will he be the douche I met in the laundry room that first day?

When Isabelle finally finishes with me, she pulls me to stand in front of the floor length mirror. My red curls are coiled perfectly and down my back. My face has sunscreen and a little bit of eyeliner and mascara to make my green eyes brighter. She put me in a black bikini with a short blue jean skirt with frays at the bottom and nothing covering the top. On my feet there are black flip flops. I have to admit, I look pretty good. _Will Jace think so?_ I smile at Isabelle and notice for the first time that she is ready also. She too is wearing a bikini. Hers is navy blue paired with a short white skirt and navy flip-flops.

"We're pretty hot, yeah?" she says coming to stand beside me in front of the mirror. If only I wasn't three inches shorter.

"Yeah, we look great. Thank Isabelle." I say turning and hugging her. She seems surprised at first but hugs back and beams at me. We grab our beach bags and head down the stairs to the kitchen for breakfast. We walk in to see Jon and Alec placing the food on the table. I walk up to Jon and hug him good morning.

"Morning, dew drop. Did you sleep well?" he asks just as Jace walks in.

"Dew drop? Is that what we're calling you now?" Jace asks coming further into the kitchen. I release Jon and step out from him and look at him about to make a remark about the nickname, but stop short when Jace's eyes grow big and his jaw drops. His eyes rake over me from my face to my toes and back up to my eyes. I smirk at him, knowing Isabelle got the reaction she wanted out of Jace. A throat clears nearby and I glance at Jon who's looking at Jace with a glare.

Jon steps in front of me, blocking Jace's view and says, "Stop looking at my sister like that!"

I shove Jon out of the way and glare at him. "Jesus, Jon! He's not looking at me 'that way'! And besides, I'm a big girl and I don't need my brother taking up for me."

"I will always take up for you no matter how big you get, shortcake." Jon says smiling at me.

I roll my eyes and go make a plate and sit down next to Isabelle who was watching the whole scene. She turns to me and grins. Winking at me, she starts talking to Jon. I bite my lip to keep from smiling and begin eating.

After everyone finishes eating, I get up to take my plate to the sink. Just as I'm about to put the plate in the dishwasher, I feel hot breath on my neck.

"You look amazing. I hope you don't mind if I stay close by you today. I'm going to have to protect you from all the guys that will no doubt be trying to hit on you with the way you look right now."

"Yeah right." I snort and turn around to face him, narrowing my eyes. "And like I told Jon, I'm a big girl and can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can, but what kind of person would I be if I didn't keep creeps away?" he asks with a big grin on his gorgeous face.

"Keep creeps away? Hmmm….maybe you're right . I may need you to stick close. You know, just in case." I say, attempting to flirt. _I hope this is flirting!_ I walk out of the kitchen swaying my hips a little on the way. As I round the corner, I let out a breath. _Oh my God! I don't know what I'm doing!_

I rush up the stairs to Isabelle's door. I knock quickly looking back the way I came to make sure no one is coming. The door cracks open and Isabelle takes one look at my flushed, frantic face and throws open the door wide.

"Clary? What's wrong?" she asks with worry in her voice.

"Isabelle….I don't know how to do anything. I don't know how to flirt, or be seductive, or. . . ." I trail off and take a deep breath letting it out slowly to calm my racing heart.

Isabelle takes my hands and pulls me to the bed and sits me down. "Clary, honey. You seriously underestimate your God-given talents. Did you see Jace's reaction to you this morning? And you didn't have to do anything but look at him. Now tell me what happened?"

"Well, he said I look amazing and that he should stay close by me to keep the creeps away from hitting on me. And I said maybe he should just in case. Then I walked out of the kitchen." I say blushing again.

"Damn, girl. I wish I could've seen his face! Seriously Clary, you don't need to worry. Trust me."

I smile and we go to meet everyone to go to the beach. _Here we go…._

**_Aww...I love all of these characters! Isabelle's such a good girl friend and Jon can't stop being overprotective and then there's Jace. Oh Jace! *sigh* Tell me what you think of Clary opening up (finally)!_**

**_Until next time. . . . _**


	10. Chapter 9

_**Finally! I tried to upload this chapter last night and all day today and Fanfiction was not letting me! ERG! But now it's up and hopefully doesn't disappoint. Enjoy reading and listening to the music (if you like to listen while reading). I highly recommend listening to the song by Jason Walker during the scene. :) **_

_**All characters and music is not mine - unfortunately! :(**_

**Chapter 9:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Santa Monica by Everclear_

_Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum (not a huge fan of country but this song seemed to fit)_

_Down by Jason Walker (_**Jace singing**_; Clary singing; **Both singing together**)_

_It's time by Imagine Dragons_

The six of us walk out of the house and down to the beach. Isabelle and I find a nice spot to lay our towels out and the boys run off to goof off in the water. I lay down on my belly and watch Jace play in the water with Max. It was quite adorable seeing them together. I can tell Max really looks up to Jace. Alec and Jon toss a football back and forth at the water's edge, occasionally diving in the water to catch it. I look over at Isabelle and she has her ear buds in listening to music and flipping through a magazine. I turn my head back and decide to take a nap for a while. I close my eyes, but as soon as I start to drift off, I feel cool, wet drops of water falling on my back. I open my eyes and see Jace standing over me with a crooked grin. I prop myself up on my elbows and raise my eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" I ask with a smirk.

"Yeah, you can actually. You want to play football with us? Jon says you're not too bad of a player. That is unless you don't want to be embarrassed about getting shown up."

"You're on Goldie." I say narrowing my eyes and standing up. I kick Isabelle's leg to get her attention. She pulls one ear bud out.

"What?" she asks.

"Come on. We're playing football." I smirk at Jace and grab the ball out of his hands and walk to the others.

We split into teams. Me, Isabelle, and Jon on one team and Jace, Alec, and Max on the other.

"Ok. 2 hand touch, that pole is the end zone and that trashcan is the other one. And no tackling, Cherry drop." Jon says as he walks past me. I roll my eyes and follow him to come up with a play. Isabelle is going to throw to me or Jon. We set up and I see Jace is covering me, Alec is covering Jon and Max is going to run between us trying to get the ball.

Jon and I start running and I look back to Isabelle. She looks between me and Jon and decides to throw it to me. I run a little faster and catch the ball and run as fast as I can toward the invisible line. When I cross it, I spike the ball and do a little dance. Jace comes over to me and smirks.

"Nice dance. I was being easy on you, but not anymore." he whispers in my ear. I fight back a shiver and return to the line. Max is going to throw and Jace and Alec will run it. Max throws it to Jace and I run after him but he is too fast and I can't catch him. He reaches the line and scores. We're tied. This time Isabelle throws it to Jon but Jace and Alec are all over him, so he tosses it to me and I take off and score again. We play like this until we are all too tired to continue. In the end, we tie. Jace jogs over to me as I head to my towel and picks me up and runs with me to the water.

"Jace! Put me down!" I shriek. He just laughs and keeps going. We reach the water and he plows into it still holding me. He drops me and I go under. When I resurface, I jump on him trying to dunk him, but when he wraps his arms around me, I freeze. I have my arms locked around his neck and my legs around his waist and he is holding me up. Our faces are so close that I can feel his breath tickle me.

"Um….the water feels really good." Jesus! How stupid was that? God, I'm an idiot.

"Clary?"

"Hmmm?" I murmur.

"Do you wanna go for a walk down the beach?" he asks, staring intently at my mouth.

"Uh huh." I mumble and nod my head.

He sets me down but keeps his arm around my waist and leads me out of the water. We start walking down the beach away from our group. I turn around once to look over my shoulder. Isabelle and Jon are looking at us, both grinning about something. Alec and Max are throwing the ball back and forth. I turn back and Jace pulls me faster. As soon as we are out of sight from everyone, he stops right in front me and grabs my face and kisses me. This kiss takes my breath away. One of his hands cups the back of my neck and the other one wraps around my waist and pulls me tighter against him. My hands wind around his neck and into his hair, pulling gently. I have never been kissed like this before. It's like he needs to kiss me to breathe. I melt completely into him and my knees are weak. If he wasn't holding me up, I would fall over. When he breaks away, we are both breathing heavily.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that. God, I think I could kiss you all day." he says running his hand through my hair.

"I think I could let you kiss me all day. Let's do it again." I say while blushing. He doesn't hesitate. His mouth is on mine immediately. I don't know how long we stand there and kiss, but when we finally walk back to the group, I notice his lips look like they've had quite the workout. I look down and smile because I did that to him.

When we get back, I head to my towel and sit down. Isabelle looks over at me and smirks.

"What?" I ask her.

She cocks her head to the side and says with a knowing grin, "Your lips are all swollen. That must've been one hell of a make-out session you just had."

"Whatever." I say rolling my eyes and looking over at Jace. He's talking to Jon and smiling. I smile and look back at Isabelle.

"You don't have to tell me. Your only girlfriend. That's fine, Clary." she says with mock hurt.

"Ok, fine. We just kissed. Like a lot. And it was amazing." I breathe.

"Did he say anything?"

"Just that he could kiss me all day." I say blushing.

"Oh my God, Clary! I told you. He is totally into you." she says completely freaking out.

I just roll my eyes and sneak a glance at Jace. He looks over at me and smiles. I smile back and lay back on my towel.

After spending the day on the beach, we all head back to the house to shower and get ready to go out on the town. I emerge from my bathroom after taking a shower and I throw on shorts and a tank top and let my hair dry naturally. I know Isabelle will be fixing me up later so I don't bother with make-up. I leave my room and walk downstairs to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water when I hear someone playing the piano. I'm drawn to the sound so I follow it down the hall. I stop just inside the door where I see Jace sitting at a piano, fingers flying over the keys. I recognize the song and then he starts singing.

**I don't know where I'm at;**

**I'm standing at the back and I'm tired of waiting.**

**Waiting here in line;**

**hoping that I'll find; what I've been chasing.**

I slowly walk in and begin singing with him. He doesn't turn or stop, but keeps singing and playing.

_**I shot for the sky; I'm stuck on the ground;**_

**So why do I try;**

_**I know I'm gonna fall down.**_

_**I thought I could fly; so why did I drown?**_

**Never know why;**

_**It's coming down, down, down.**_

He smiles at me and nods toward the bench for me to sit while continuing playing. I sit next to him and he says, "I'm impressed. You know this song well."

"It's one of my favorites." I say shrugging.

"You sing the next verse then." he says with a grin.

_Not ready to let go; cause then I'll never know;_

_that I could be missing._

_But I'm missing way too much; so when do I give up;_

_what I've been wishing for._

_**I shot for the sky; I'm stuck on the ground;**_

**So why do I try;**

_**I know I'm gonna fall down.**_

_**I thought I could fly; so why did I drown?**_

**Never know why;**

_**It's coming down, down, down.**_

**_Oh I am going down, down, down;_**

**Can't find_ another way around;_**

**_and I don't want to hear the sound;_**

**of losing what I never found.**

**I shot for the sky;_ I'm stuck on the ground;_**

**So why do I try;**

**_I know I'm gonna fall down!_**

_**I thought I could fly; so why did I drown?**_

**I never know why**

_**It's coming down, down, down.**_

_**I shot for the sky; I'm stuck on the ground;**_

**So why do I try;**

_**I know I'm gonna fall down!**_

_**I thought I could fly; so why did I drown?**_

_**Oh, it's coming down, down, down.**_

When the last note fades, Jace and I stare into each other's eyes for what seems like forever. I have never sung like that in front of anyone much less with someone. Jace's eyes move to my lips and he licks his. I feel him lean in closer to me and then his lips gently brush against mine in a soft barely there kiss. He starts to move back, but I'm not satisfied with that kiss, so I reach up and grab his face and press my mouth onto his harder. He groans and the sound almost drives me wild. I open up to him and let his tongue sweep inside my mouth. He slides his hand up my thigh and stops right where my shorts end. We are so wrapped up in each other; we don't hear someone quietly enter the room until we hear a throat clear. We jump apart and spin around and look into the blue eyes of Maryse Lightwood. I instantly turn fifty shades of red. I glance quickly at Jace and he doesn't look embarrassed at all.

"Jace, I was wondering if you could give me a hand with something." Maryse says with a tight smile.

"Yeah, sure." he says standing up. I follow quickly and walk towards the door.

"Um, I need to go find Isabelle. I'll see you both later." I mutter. Maryse gives me a smile as I pass her. I glance behind me at Jace once I get to the door. He looks at me and gives me a small smile before turning his attention to his mother. I run up the stairs and into my room. I flop on the bed and think about how embarrassing that just was.

o.O.o

JPOV

I watch Clary leave the room looking completely mortified that Maryse caught us kissing. I glance over at Maryse and see her studying me with a speculative look.

"You said you needed help with something?" I ask.

"No. Actually, I heard you playing the piano and I came to see if you were alright. You haven't played in quite some time and when you do, you're usually upset about something. I was just worried, that's all." she says looking a little concerned.

I nod my head and say, "I know I usually play when I'm upset, but this time, I'm not. In fact, I don't think I've been this happy ever." I say honestly.

"Does it have something to do with Clary?"

"Maybe. I just….I don't know, she's incredible." I say, rubbing the back of my neck and shrugging.

"Well, I can certainly see that there's something special about her. Max took to her immediately. And I can see a change in you, too. A change for the better. I'll let you get back to doing whatever you were doing. I love you, son." she says patting me on the cheek.

I smile and bend down to hug her. "I love you, too, Mom."

She smiles and leaves me by myself. I go back to sit at the piano and think about singing with Clary. I almost told her the feelings I have for her. I don't know why I'm so nervous to tell her. I've never been nervous around girls. But this time it's different. She actually means something to me and the others most definitely did not. I decide that tonight, I will tell her everything. I head upstairs to get ready to go out with everyone. I just need to get Clary alone some time tonight.

I dress in a pair of dark jeans that hang low on my hips and a charcoal grey t-shirt that fits snug against my chest. I look pretty good if I do say so myself. I walk out of my room and run into Jon as he leaves his room.

"Hey buddy." he says with a smile.

"Hey. What are you so happy about?" I ask, noticing the bounce to his step.

"I'm gonna ask Isabelle out tonight. What about you? When are you asking my sister out?"

"Oh….I haven't thought about that. I was planning on letting her know how much I like her. Should I ask her out first before I get into that?" I ask, feeling nervous again.

"I don't know man. Good luck with that." he says as he walks down the stairs.

"Wait! She's your sister. What would she want me to do?"

"I have no clue. I'm not used to her and guys. She never really dated anyone before."

"Really? I find that hard to believe. I mean, she's beautiful."

Jon shrugs and keeps walking. I hang back for a minute. _Does this mean she's still a virgin? She kisses like she knows exactly what she's doing. Hmmm._ As I stand there deep in thought, Isabelle comes down and winks at me. I pull her to the side and whisper my concerns to her.

"Don't worry, Jace. She likes you too. Tell her because I don't think she believes you could like her. She doesn't know the affects she has on people around her. Just be good to her, she deserves it." she says in a hushed voice. Just then, Clary appears at the top of the stairs and if I wasn't leaning on the rail, I would've fallen down the stairs. Isabelle smirks at me and continues down to meet Jon and Alec. She is wearing a short purple, lacy sundress and her hair is pulled up in a twist with soft curls framing her gorgeous face.

"Hey, Jace." she says as she comes down. She stops on the step right above me. I continue to stare like an idiot until she looks down and clears her throat.

"Hey." I say back, my voice rough. I clear it and try to form a coherent thought. "You look beautiful. Could you do me a favor?" I ask shakily. God, I'm losing my cool. _Get it together man!_

"Sure. What is it?"

"Will you be my date tonight? I don't want to fight off the guys in the club that will be all over you." I smile slyly.

She rolls her eyes. "I don't think that will happen, and I would love to be your date tonight." she says smiling at me.

"Good. I should probably warn you. With the way you look tonight, I may not be able to keep my hands off of you either." I say smirking at her, watching her blush.

"I may hold you to that." she says and walks down the stairs, leaving me staring after her with my mouth hanging open. I shake my head and smile. This girl is going to be the death of me.

_**So...what did you think? Let me know your thoughts and please keep giving me your ideas and suggestions. I love hearing them! **_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	11. Chapter 10

_**Happy Easter (if you celebrate it)! Thank you so much for all of the reviews, followers, and those who have favorited this story. It's crazy how many people are checking it out and even crazier that they are all over the world! Let me know where you're from when you review, I think it's so cool! :)**_

_**I was able to get another chapter out to you today, so I hope you enjoy it. Slight lemon warning (not too much - that's to come later maybe ;))**_

_**Cassandra Clare owns the characters and the music is owned by the artists listed below. **_

**Chapter 10:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke (scene where Clary dances)_

_Possession by Sarah Mclachlan_

_Hot by Avril Lavigne_

_Work by Jimmy Eat World_

JPOV

I follow Clary down and we all get in the suburban. Jon drives again and I climb in the very back behind Clary. I almost lose all of my self-control when she bends over to climb in the backseat with her short dress on. _Jesus! I don't think I've ever seen such a perfect ass! What I would give to just. . . .Stop! I can't think like that. I have to treat her better than that. I want to._ I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. When I open my eyes, Clary is looking at me with a worried expression.

"You okay?" she whispers.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just a little bit nervous."

She raises her eyebrow and smirks. "_The_ Jace Wayland is nervous? When have you ever been nervous?"

I laugh a softly. "I'm not usually."

"Well, why are you then?" she asks with real curiosity.

"You make me nervous." I say honestly, looking into her eyes. _This is it. I'm going to tell her._

"Why?" she asks breathlessly.

"Because I've never –"

"We're here!" Jon announces interrupting me as he puts the car in park. We all climb out of the car and walk inside. I stay close to Clary, steering her inside to a small table. Isabelle and Clary sit, while Jon, Alec, and I go to the bar to get drinks. I look back at her and see that several guys are eying them and want to approach them. I hurry over there with the drinks and glare at all the guys. I sit next to Clary and place my hand on her thigh. My heart races when I touch her and it almost takes my breath away. I feel warmth wherever we touch. Then it's gone.

"Come on, Clary! I love this song! Dance with me." Isabelle yells, dragging Clary behind her to the dance floor. I flash Isabelle a look and she must've read it right, because she didn't pull her very far away from our table. I watch her dance and laugh. She looks so happy right now. I never want to see her sad like I did the other day. _Good, God! The things she can do with her hips! _I'm so enamored by her dancing that I don't notice someone sitting down beside me. I look over and see a girl smiling seductively at me. She's pretty hot and no doubt someone I would've easily hooked up with, but now I can't find anything in me that would want that type again. All I see now is red hair and piercing green eyes.

"Hey there, sexy. How about you and me go somewhere a little more private." she purrs. I almost gag. I shake my head.

"No, thanks. You see that incredibly sexy, gorgeous red head dancing right there." I say pointing at Clary. The girl turns and looks. Clary meets my eyes and I can't tell what look she's giving me. The girl turns back to me.

"I'm hers and I don't want anyone else but her. So, I think you need to find someone else to go somewhere more private."

She glares at me and slides off the chair and stalks off. I chuckle and look back at Clary and smile. She gives a small smile and turns her back to me, focusing on Isabelle. _Shit! I hope she doesn't think I wanted that girl._ I decide to go and make sure she knows who I am interested in. I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her. She tenses up at first and my heart beats so fast I know she can feel it. I spin her around so I can look at her. She looks up and I see a flash of anger but it's gone quickly.

"What's wrong?" I ask

"Nothing." she says averting her eyes.

I tilt her chin up so she has to look at me. "Clary. I don't want you upset about anything. Tell me so I can see you smile again."

"You asked me to be your date tonight and then I see you with that slut….I mean girl, and I don't know. I guess it made me wonder why you asked me if you –"

"Wait. That girl came up to me and do you know what I said to her?" She shakes her head. "I pointed to you and told her that I was here with you and I wasn't interested in anyone but you. Then I told her to find someone else to hit on."

A slow smile lights up her face. "Really?"

"Really. Can I dance with you now?" I ask smiling. She nods and she wraps her arms around me and we begin to sway to the music. Everything about her sets me on fire. I look down at her and she is looking around the dance floor. She smiles at something. I follow her gaze and see Jon and Isabelle dancing together.

"I think Jon likes my sister." I say in her ear because the music is so loud. She nods her head.

"I know Jon likes your sister." she says and giggles a little. I smile at that. _I love her laugh_.

"Do you think Isabelle feels the same?" she asks looking up at me. I glance at them again and nod my head.

"Yeah, I think she does." Clary smiles. We stare into each other's eyes as the next song starts. It's a slow song so I pull her closer to my body. She's pressed up flush against my body and her hips are moving like they were when she was dancing by herself beside Isabelle. My hands drift lower until they are skimming over her backside. She winds her hands in my hair and pulls making me release a groan. I can't take any more distance between us even though there isn't much to begin with so I crash my lips to hers and kiss her frantically. Tongues fighting each other, trying to outdo one another. I bite down on her lower lip and she gasps and pulls me tighter to her. I pull away and look down at her. Her eyes are wide and bright. I briefly glance around and pull her to the back of the club to a storage room. I bring her inside and slam the door, pushing her against it gently. I attack her neck, kissing, sucking, and biting gently. I get to the spot just behind her ear and she moans.

"Jace. . . ." she breathes. _Jesus, the way she just said my name! Damn!_

"What baby? Tell me what you want. I'll do anything for you. Anything."

"I want….I want y-you. God, I want…." she trails off as my hands skim up the side of her thighs.

_God, Jace, you're getting carried away. Stop this now before you ruin everything._ I return to her mouth and kiss her, but slower and sweeter. I pull back and rest my forehead on hers and try to calm my racing heart and my raging hard on.

"Clary, I'm sorry. I got carried away. It's just, you don't know what you do to me." I say finally getting my breathing under control.

"No need to apologize, Jace. I didn't mind it at all." she says smiling and blushing.

I trace my fingers over her cheek, gazing into her eyes. "I like you, and I don't think you realize just how much I do. I really want to do this right. You mean more to me than a romp in a storage room. You're better than this."

"So, what you're saying is you like me?" she says, her lips pulling up at the corners.

I nod and say without a doubt, "Very much so."

She smiles widely and she kisses me and my whole body erupts in goose bumps. _Shiiit, the things she does to me just by kissing me. _I don't ever think anyone can make me feel this way except this girl.

o.O.o

I wake up feeling strangely giddy. I try to remember why I might be feeling like this. Then it hits me….Jace admitted he likes me last night. Apparently a lot, thinking back to the storage room. A slow smile spreads across my face and I get up to look in the mirror. My lips are slightly swollen and I have, what I hope is not a permanent blush on my cheeks. I shake my head and lie back on the bed and think about how I'm feeling right now. How could someone so good-looking be into me? For whatever the reason is, he seems to be. I think about everything. From the first time I met him in the laundry room, to him helping me do the dishes, to taking me around the city and jogging, and everything since we got here. I can't even count how many times we've kissed. The first time being at the restaurant where that ho was working. I love kissing Jace. The things he can do with his mouth are unlike anything I have ever experienced. Of course, my level of experience is non-existent. No, I'm not a virgin, but I've only been with one person and it was only the one time. It actually sucked, so I haven't really been interested in doing it again for a long time. But now with Jace, I don't know….I feel like it may be different with him than with that ass I did it with the first time. That time was not special and I wish I could take it back, but sadly I can't. I sigh and turn over on my stomach and bury my head in my pillow. Being around Jace makes me lose control. I don't think I would've stopped him last night in that storage room. I shudder to think about that. I would've been no better than any other whore who gets it on in a club. However, I wonder what it would be like with Jace? I flush bright red just thinking about it. _God, Clary! Stop thinking about this. It's NEVER gonna happen!_

I'm still lost in my thoughts when I hear the door creak open. I sit up and see Jon coming in.

"Hey." I say, eying him warily.

"Good morning, half-pint. I wanted to come see how you were doing?" he says cheerily.

Something is up with him. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason, I guess." he says with a shrug. Then he averts his eyes and I know he has something to say.

"Okay, Jon. Spill it. What is going on? Is everything alright?" I ask starting to get worried.

"Yes, Clare-bear. Everything is fine. I just wanted to talk to you and well I just don't know how to go about it." He pauses for a second and runs his hands through his hair and finally looks at me. My stomach twists when I see how embarrassed he is.

"Look, Clary." _Uh oh!_ "I talked with Jace the other day and I know he likes you and wants to be with you and all, but I worry about you, you know. I don't want you to get hurt. Jace assures me he won't hurt you, but I still worry. I mean, Jace has dated a lot and you not so much. I guess I just wanted you to know that no matter what, I'll be here for you and I will beat the shit out of anyone who even thinks about hurting you. With that being said, just be careful, okay? I love you and you will always be my baby sister." he says and takes a deep breath.

I smile up at him and cross the room and wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze him. "I love you too, big brother. And that speech you just gave, as much as it was unnecessary, I really appreciate it and thank you for always being there for me." He squeezes me back and pats my head.

"So, you and Isabelle. I saw you guys dancing last night. How did things go?" I ask curious to see if his night was anything like mine.

"We did. We had a great time. I asked her out on a date and she said yes. We're going out when we get back home. What about you and Jace?"

"Well, he told me he likes me a lot and he wants to do things right and we are also going to go out when we get home." I skipped the parts of the night where we made out. There's definitely some things my brother does not need to know about, no matter how close we may be.

"Are you happy? I mean, are you doing better?" he asks, not sure if he wants to open up bad memories.

"Yeah, I'm doing better. Some days are still hard, but I seem to be having more better days." I say nodding my head.

"Good. I'm glad. You should call mom and let her know. I keep telling her you're getting better, but she needs to hear it from you."

"I'll call her."

"Okay. I'll go so you can get dressed. Catch up with you later." he says and walks out the door, closing it softly behind him. I sigh and pull out my other bikini and some cut-off shorts. I braid my hair in a side braid and put on some mascara and lip gloss. I call my mom and talk to her for about 15 minutes assuring her that I'm doing better. After hanging up, I walk out in the hall just as Jace comes out of his room.

A genuine smile creeps on his face. "Hi." I say blushing slightly.

"Hi. How'd you sleep?" he asks, tucking a stray curl behind my ear. I smile and shiver a little at his touch.

"I slept very well. How about you?"

"Well, I had the best dream. I dreamed that this beautiful girl kissed me last night and agreed to go out with me." he says with a crooked grin.

"Ah and what did this girl look like in your dream?" I ask, playing along.

"She had soft, curly red hair and the most striking green eyes I have ever seen. The things she does to me just by looking at me, takes my breath away. Oh, and she was incredibly short." he says smiling.

I glare at him and put my hands on my hips. "I am not that short. I am over 5 feet. That is a perfectly acceptable height for an average girl my age." I huff.

He laughs and puts his hands on my hips over my hands. "I happen to think that you're perfect just the way you are." And then he leans down and kisses me, a chaste kiss on the lips. I want more but I settle for this. Besides it's sweet and I like these almost as good. We walk down stairs together and join the others for breakfast.

_**Awww...Sweet moment! And Jon - how many of you thought he was going to have THE talk with Clary? Anyway, Let me know what you thought about it!**_

_**Until next time lovies. . . .**_


	12. Chapter 11

**_Happy Tuesday you lovely people! Chapter 11 coming up so enjoy (hopefully)!_**

**_I don't own the music or these characters - although I wish I owned Jace! HA!_**

**Chapter 11:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Blue Blue Moon by Hurricane Bells_

_Best I Ever Had by Vertical Horizon_

_Longest Night by Howie Day_

_A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope_

The day at the beach was a lot like yesterday. We swam, played football, walked, and lay out on our towels. The only difference was that Jace was right by me all day. All in all, it was a great day on the beach. When we return to the house, we all go off to take our showers and then Isabelle's coming to my room to get me ready for dinner and the 4th of July Firework show happening later tonight. Just as I wrap a towel around my body, Isabelle shows up with several outfits hanging on her arm. I eye them warily.

"What is all that?" I ask her as she sets them down on my bed.

"These are our choices. You're going to look so sexy and my brother will be going crazy." she says with a scary grin on her face. She pulls me to sit down and begins on my hair. She dries it and puts hot rollers in my hair. As she sets the rollers in, I look in the mirror at her.

"Hey, Isabelle? Are you and Jon together or just hanging out?"

She looks back at me and the corner of her mouth lifts. "Well, we aren't _together_ together, but I do like him a lot. He is so sweet and most guys don't treat _me_ like that. Most of the time, they just want one thing and then they're gone." she sighs.

"Well, I think if you both like each other and things are going well, then why not go for it? Do you want to be exclusive?" I ask while she moves on to do my makeup.

She cocks her head to the side and then looks back at me with a smile. "Yeah, I think I do. I mean, if Jon wants that, then I wouldn't be opposed to it." I smile back at her and she continues in silence.

"What about you and Jace? Are you two together or just hanging out?" she asks using my earlier words.

I smile at that and say, "Our situation is different than yours."

"How so? You both like each other and things are going well right?"

"Yeah."

"Then what's the problem? You just said, 'if you both like each other and things are going well, then why not go for it?'" she says with a look that says I should listen to my own advice.

"I like him a lot, okay, but I worry about some things. How long is he going to be interested in me? What happens if I let him get close and then it's over? I don't know Isabelle, I just don't think I can go through that." I look down and feel a pang in my chest. I take a deep breath and look back up at Isabelle. She gives me a sad smile.

"Listen, Clary. I've known Jace almost my whole life and I've seen him with countless girls and not one time have I seen him act like he does around you. Did you know he's never brought a girl home to meet our parents? I shake my head no and she continues. "Not even when we were teenagers. I've seen the way he looks at you. This time is different. I think he may be falling in love with you, Clary." I scoff at her and give her a dubious look. "I'm serious. I think you should go for it. Besides I'll string him up by his balls if he does anything to hurt you and so will Jon and you know it." she says grinning.

I bite my lip to hide my grin but it forces its way out onto my face. "Yeah, I do know. I already had this talk with him this morning actually. Thanks Isabelle. You're the best best girlfriend a girl could ever have." I say honestly.

She throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly. "Oh, Clary! Thank you!" She pulls back holding me by the shoulders. "You don't know how much that means to me. I have never had a best girlfriend before until now."

We finish getting ready. She puts me in a white halter top dress that stops mid-thigh and some wedge sandals. She settles for a red sequined dress with spaghetti straps and red heels. We both look pretty hot if you overlook my bright red hair and splattering of freckles. Isabelle leaves to take the other outfits back to her room and I sit down to draw a little. I haven't drawn since we left the city. I start sketching different scenes from the beach. All of us playing football, the boys swimming in the ocean, Isabelle reading a magazine with her ear buds in, and of Jace and me kissing. I study that one for a minute. I run my fingers over it lightly. Should I let him in? What if it's not worth the heartache? What if it is worth it? _ERRR! God, I wish I knew what to freakin do already!_ I toss the sketchpad to the side and put my head in my hands.

"Clary?"

I whip my head towards the door and Jace in all his glory is leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. I stand up slowly and bite my lip while taking in all of his beauty. _Jesus, hell he is fine!_ My mouth suddenly goes dry and I feel my face burn. He smirks and walks deliberately toward me. When he gets right in front of me, he stops, looking down at me. I look up through my eyelashes and see his eyes turn darker. He leans down and cups my face, pressing his lips to mine. Our mouths move in sync like they were made to do this. I let out a small gasp when I feel Jace's tongue open my mouth wider and I let him slip it inside. I vaguely feel his hands move from my face, one hand cupped around the back of my neck and the other slowly making its way down my back. I put my hands on his waist and moan when I feel his hard abs through his thin t-shirt. My hands can't help exploring, as I dip them under his shirt and touch his stomach. He grunts when I make contact, making me feel even bolder. I stretch my hand flat and slowly rub up his abs, relishing the feel of each dip and groove the taut muscles make. He responds by dropping his hand further and caressing my backside and further to the outside of my thigh. He drags his hand up bringing my dress with it. Things are definitely heating up and I'm finding myself swimming in each sensation he brings on.

"Come on you two. It's time to go eat!" Alec yells from down the hall. We break apart, breathing heavily and look at each other.

"Jesus, Clary. You make me crazy." he says tracing a finger on my cheek. I smile and place a chaste kiss on his lips. I grab his hand and we walk out together.

When we get to the bottom of the stairs, everyone is there. I glance up at Maryse and instantly blush. I look away quickly trying not to think about the last time I saw her. It was in the piano room…._Damn it Clary! Stop thinking about it or your face will never return to normal!_ I feel Jace chuckle under his breath. I look at him and he seems amused. He leans down and whispers in my ear, "I love to see you blush." This just causes me to blush more and soon my face will be on fire if I don't get out of here. In the end, Jace and I ride with Jon and Isabelle, and Alec rides with his parents and Max saying how he was tired of being the fifth wheel all the time. In the car, Jace pulls me tightly to his side and places soft kisses on my cheek, temple, jaw, and neck. All of it drives me crazy, but I don't stop him or want him to stop really. I caught Isabelle sneak a few peaks at us and smile widely before looking back around. Jon is studiously ignoring us. This must be hard on him, seeing his little sister making out with his friend in the backseat of a car he's driving. Oh well. I can't find it in me to care at the time. I can't seem to care about anything when his lips are on my skin.

"Mmmm. . . .you smell so good." Jace whispers in my ear while his nose skims over my neck. I shiver and smile.

"Are you trying to sweet talk me?" I tease.

"Maybe. . . .Is it working?"

"That depends on what it is you're trying to sweet talk me into."

"Just a little of this." he says as he begins sucking and nipping my neck and shoulder.

"Well in that case, I would say it's working." I surrender in a shaky breath.

He chuckles and kisses me once more on the neck and gazes into my eyes. He smiles and some emotion I can't identify flashes in his eyes. "You're amazing, Clary." he breathes and the car stops. I tear my gaze away and look out the window. We're at one of those typical beachfront restaurants. I follow Jace out of the car and he puts his arm around my waist and we walk in just like that. Isabelle and Jon holding hands in front of us.

o.O.o

JPOV

Clary, Clary, Clary. That is the only thing I can think of. This has been the best trip and not only because I've been able to see her in a bikini and kiss her and hold her, but because I feel like she may be trusting me more and we're getting closer. I can't get enough of her. I want to be touching her all of the time. In the car on the way to dinner, she let me kiss her the way I've been dying to since I met her. We eat dinner at a beachfront restaurant with the whole family and I can't help think how much I like her around my family. Max adores her and is sitting right next to her, laughing at something she just said to him. I watch them for a minute and feel someone's eyes on me. I turn and find Jon looking at me. He smiles and turns back to Isabelle. I look around the table and see my mom smiling at Clary and Max, Robert and Alec engaged in some sort of conversation and laughing, Jon and Isabelle talking quietly together, and then back to Clary. As I look at her, I realize that I never want this to end. She belongs right here with me and my family. I make a promise to myself that I will do whatever I have to do to keep Clary in my life. I am so in love with her and I'm not ashamed to admit this. I must've been staring at her because she waves her hands in front of my face and leans in close.

"You okay?" she whispers.

"I've never been better." I say honestly. She smiles and I take her hand and bring it to my lips. I brush them across the back of her hand. Her eyes widen and her breath catches. And then she bites her lip._ Oh hell! Does she not realize what that little stunt does to me and my parents and her brother are right here! Jesus!_ Thankfully, the check comes and everyone gets up to leave. Before we go to the firework show, we pass a souvenir shop. Isabelle and Clary go inside. Jon and I follow while the girls look around. I watch Clary eyeing a necklace with some sort of charm on it. She eventually puts it back and keeps walking to look at other things. I stop at the necklace she was looking at. It's a small silver chain with a green stone hanging from it. The stone is almost the same color as Clary's eyes. I take it and sneak away to the counter and buy it before Clary and Isabelle come back up front. They finally appear and we all go down to the beach to find the rest of my family to watch the fireworks.

We settle down and wait for the show to begin. I reach into my pocket and pull out the necklace.

"I have something for you." I say turning my head to face her.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I think you're gonna like it." I smirk at her and watch her eyes light up.

"Well. . . .Are you going to give it to me or not?"

Never taking my eyes off of hers, I hold the necklace out to her. She raises her eyebrows and her hand goes to her mouth. I smile at her reaction.

"Jace. . . ."

"I saw you looking at this back there and I thought I would get it for you. The stone reminds me of your eyes." She takes it from me and looks at it in awe. She looks back up at me and her whole face lights up. Seeing her like this only confirms that I want to be the one to make her feel this happy always. I reach over and take the necklace and she turns and holds up her hair and I fasten it around her neck. I kiss her on the neck before she releases her hair and turns back around to face me.

"Thank you. That was very sweet of you and I love it." she says while touching the necklace that now lies on her chest.

"You could thank me properly, you know." I say wagging my eyebrows up and down.

"Oh, and how would you have me do that?" she asks with amusement in her voice.

"You could kiss me." I offer.

"Is that all you want, a kiss?" she asks leaning closer.

"For now, yes." I whisper as I lean toward her looking at her soft lips. Slowly we come together and then finally our lips meet. It's like the fireworks have already started when I kiss her. We can't get too carried away because we are on a beach packed with people. I move from her lips and kiss along her jaw to her ear.

"We'll continue this later." I breathe into her neck, placing one more kiss before I straighten up. I look at her and see her face turn red as she gazes at me intensely. I know she's thinking about something but I don't know what. I stare at her trying to figure it out. Then an explosion overhead interrupts us and we both look up to see the first of the fireworks. The show is starting. I look back at her and she is looking up at the sky with a smile on her face. The explosion of colors reflecting in her eyes. She looks over at me and smiles before turning her attention back to the fireworks. She is so damn beautiful. God, I want her but not in the way I've wanted women before. I want everything with her. I want to hold her and kiss her and wake up next to her. I would be lying if I said I didn't want her in the other way, because I do. But I want so much more from her, too.

After the show, we all go back to the house. Jon and Isabelle take a walk on the beach leaving me and Clary.

"What do you want to do?" I ask

She shrugs and looks like something is bothering her. I place a finger under her chin and turn her to look at me.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" I ask nervously.

She shakes her head and sighs. "I'm sorry. I've just had such a good time here and I'm kind of sad to leave. I know it's stupid, but after tomorrow, everyone will go back to their life and it just won't be the same as it's been here." I kiss her forehead and pull back to look her in the eye.

"I don't want to leave either. This has been the best vacation I've ever had. And when we get back, I get to take you out, remember?" I say grinning at her. She can't hold back the smile any longer. She reaches down and takes both of my hands, lacing our fingers together. I look down at our hands and back at her. She places a soft kiss on my lips and pulls me to her room. When we get there, she turns to me, looking down at the ground, she asks quietly, "Would you mind staying with me tonight? To sleep. . . .I don't want to be alone for some reason." My heart starts beating frantically, just thinking about being able to hold her all night. I swallow hard.

"I'll stay with you as long as you want me." I say hoping that she'll realize that I don't just mean tonight, but always. She looks up at me with wide eyes. Something changes between us right then. The charge in the air buzzes around us. She clears her throat and she takes clothes with her into the bathroom to change. I dash across the hall and change into some pajama pants. I come back as she comes out of the bathroom. I suck in a breath. She has on a tank top and small shorts. She looks at me and smiles shyly. Climbing in the bed she lies down and leaves room for me. I pull my shirt off and slide in facing her. We just look at each other for a minute. Then she scoots closer until she is against my chest. I hesitantly wrap my arm around her waist and gently rub the small of her back.

"Thank you." she whispers, as she puts her arm around my waist. Our legs tangle together. She fits perfectly to me. I have never held a girl like this before and it feels so right. I want this. I want it bad. I kiss the top of her head. As she drifts off to sleep, I whisper, "I'll do anything for you, Clary."

I fall asleep holding the girl of my dreams.

_**Well there you go! For those who are wanting drama - don't worry, it's coming. . . .**_

_**Let me know if you liked it! :)**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	13. Chapter 12

**_Here we go! Everyone's back from the beach trip and Jace and Clary still have their date to look forward to! Hope you enjoy!_**

**_As always, story is mine and that is all!_**

**Chapter 12:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Wish You Were Here by Avril Lavigne_

_Ride by Cary Brothers_

Everything goes back to normal when we get home from the beach. The only thing that has changed is that Jon and Isabelle are dating and she's over just about every night. I don't know where things are with me and Jace. He's still around a lot and we still have that date to go on, but nothing is official and it's absolutely driving me mad. Things were so wonderful at the beach. I think because there wasn't anyone else around him there but me and now that we're back home, there are plenty of distractions. Although, I haven't seen him with any other girls that doesn't mean he hasn't been with any. Isabelle assures me that he isn't but I can't be so sure. Tonight is our date. Isabelle promised me that she would get here early to get me all dressed up for it. I'm feeling kind of down today and I kind of don't want to go anywhere tonight.

I sit on my window seat and stare out at the park. I get up and put my shoes on and walk out and head straight for the park. I go and sit on the merry-go-round and push myself around a couple of times, letting the tips of my shoes to drag in the dirt. The merry-go-round will always remind me of Simon. It was our favorite. Sometimes we would go so fast that it was hard not to throw up all over each other. I reach up and wipe a stray tear away from my face. I don't know how long I sit here thinking and crying silently, when I hear a familiar voice.

"Clary?"

I whip my head around and Jace is standing a little ways away with a concerned look on his face. I clear my throat and hastily wipe at my face.

"Hi." I wince at the thickness in my voice from the tears.

He walks forward and sits next to me. Just when he starts to speak, I put up my hand to stop him.

"Before you ask, I'm fine. Really." I stand up and brush the seat of my pants off and step away from Jace. He quickly stands up and reaches out for my arm. I shake it off and see hurt flash in his eyes. I stop and look away from him. "I'm sorry. I'm just not having a good day. Maybe we should do the date another night. You probably wouldn't enjoy it anyway." I say looking down. Jace steps up to me until our feet touch, toe to toe. He lifts my chin and stares into my eyes.

"Clary, if you don't want to go out tonight, that's fine, but I'm not going anywhere that you're not. I can't stand to see you upset and I will do whatever I can to make you happy again." he says quietly.

I give him a small smile and nod my head. "Thank you. I just have a lot on my mind and sometimes it gets to be too much and. . . . I trail off not wanting to get into the fact that my feelings for him are what have me on edge.

Jace wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his side. "Come on, let's go home." he says and kisses me on the top of head.

Isabelle shows up right after Jace goes to get something from his apartment.

"Clary, why aren't you showered? I need to get started on you." she whines to me when she sees my appearance.

I sigh and look down. "I'm not going. That's why."

"Did Jace do something? I swear to God, I will junk punch him right now." she sneers, heading for the door. I jump in front of her holding my hands up.

"Whoa, there girl. He didn't do anything. I'm just having a bad day and he said we could just stay in tonight and try it another night. Jeez." I hurriedly say before she can get by me.

"Oh. Well, I guess he survives this time. Why are you having a bad day?" she asks with curiosity.

I shrug and avert her eyes. She notices and pulls me to the couch.

"Spill it, Clary. This is something besides the usual reason for having a bad day." she says grabbing my hands and squeezing them.

I look at her for a minute and then realize I do want to talk about it with someone. So I tell her everything. I tell her how I feel about Jace and how confused I've been since the beach trip. I tell her how scared I am of these feelings and how I don't think I'm strong enough to deal with any more pain. She listens to me vent. When I'm done, she smiles and pats my leg.

"Come on. You are going out tonight. I don't think you have anything to worry about. I know Jace likes you. I already told you I think he's in love with you. But you have to understand, Jace has never been in a relationship before. He doesn't know what he's doing any more than you do. I think he's just as scared if not more than you. Just give him a little time to figure out how to tell you how he feels." she says pulling me up and pushing me toward the bathroom. "Now take a shower and then we'll get you ready."

I step in the bathroom and Isabelle closes the door. I sigh again and shake my head at her. I turn on the shower knobs and get in.

o.O.o

JPOV

Just as I was about to head back to Clary's with grilled cheese sandwiches and apple slices, there's a knock on the door. I load up my surprise and open the door to Isabelle.

"Isabelle? What are you doing here?" I ask surprised to see her.

"I came to tell you to get ready for your date tonight, because Clary changed her mind." she says giving me a look that says she knows something I don't.

"I don't think she wants to go Isabelle. I don't want to force her or anything. She's not had a good day and I told her we could just do it another time." I say trying to conceal the disappointment that she didn't want to go tonight.

"I know what's wrong with her. She told me everything. Jace, she's scared of how she feels about you and she just about convinced herself that there is no way you could ever feel the same about her. She's in the shower right now and then I'm going to help her get dressed. Now go, shower and get yourself together and get your woman!" she says smacking me on the chest to push me back into my apartment.

"Can you take her the things I made her? It's her favorite." I hand her the sandwich and apple slices.

Isabelle reaches out and takes them giving me an incredulous look.

"What?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows at her.

Hers rise up to her hairline and her mouth hangs open. "Oh. My. God. You really do love her don't you?" she whispers.

My body warms all over. I nod my head and say, "Yeah, I do." Then I'm coughing out black hair as Isabelle launches herself at me and hugs me hard.

"Oh, Jace. I knew it. I knew someday you would find someone to change you. I'm so glad it's Clary and not some slut you seem to be attracted to all the time." She pulls away with a grin and says, "I'm gonna go get Clary beautiful for you." And then she's gone.

After I'm done getting ready, I go over to wait for Clary. Jon answers the door and lets me in.

"Hey man." Jon says as I step inside. I nod and follow him to the living room. Jon looks at me.

"You look nervous. What's going on?" he asks flipping the TV on.

"Clary. She's had a bad day and I don't think she really wants to go out tonight, but Isabelle is relentless." I say looking at the TV.

"Oh don't I know that." he chuckles a little but then turns serious. "What do you mean Clary had a bad day?"

"I found her sitting all alone at the park next door crying. I know she's sad about Simon still, but I think this had something to do with me." I say frowning.

"Why do you think that? Did you do something?" he asks with a hint of anger.

"No, not that I know of. Isabelle thinks she's confused about us. We haven't defined this thing we have and I want to but I've never done this before and I don't know how to. No one has ever mattered to me before, you know. I worry about screwing up." I say peering over at him.

He sighs and pats me on the shoulder. "You need to tell her. I know my sister and as confident as she is in some things, she has no confidence when it comes to guys being interested in her. She doesn't see how beautiful she is. All she sees is red hair and freckles." Jon remarks just as Isabelle clears her throat and steps aside. Clary walks in and I literally stop breathing for a second. Her eyes lock with mine and a slow blush creeps up her neck and face, pooling in her cheeks. I get up slowly and walk to her. I stop just in front of her. Isabelle and Jon go into the kitchen leaving me and Clary.

"You look beautiful." I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Thanks. You look very handsome." she says smiling shyly.

"Are you sure you want to go? We can just go back to my place and pretend we went out for Isabelle's sake. I know how persuasive she can be." I say trying to see what she really wants to do.

She smiles a little bigger and shakes her head. "I want to go. I always wanted to go, I just didn't think you would enjoy it."

"Any time I spend with you is enjoyable." I hold out my hand and she takes it without hesitating. I pull her close, _God, she smells so damn good,_ and we shout out good-byes to Isabelle and Jon.

I take her to fancy restaurant and try not to stare at her while she looks over the menu. Her eyebrows furrow.

"What's wrong?" I ask watching her facial expressions.

"This place is so fancy. And expensive. I don't really know what to get." She looks down at the menu again and scrunches up her tiny nose.

"You look uncomfortable. Do you want to go somewhere else? Isabelle recommended this place but it's not really my style." I say reaching across the table to hold her hand. She puts her menu down and smiles in relief.

"If it's not too much trouble, I would like that."

"Okay, come on. I pull her up and we leave the stuffy restaurant. Once we get back in the car, I gaze at her.

"How about Taki's?"

She looks uneasy. "I don't know. Isn't that the place with your uh friend?"

I gently stroke her cheek with the back of my hand and look her in the eyes. "I'll be with the most beautiful girl and she won't bother us. I don't want her, Clary."

"I don't see why not. She's gorgeous and she's very. . . .curvy." she says gesturing to herself.

"I'm not interested in that. I prefer my girl to be real, not fake and made of plastic."

She nods and says, "Okay, let's go to Taki's. Besides the food is really good there."

Smiling and holding hands, we enter Taki's and sit in a booth in the corner. Clary slides in and I sit right beside her instead of across from her. I was hoping Kaelie would actually have a night off, but no such luck. _Jesus! Does the woman ever leave here?_ She sees me and saunters over with a seductive smile on her caked on face and then she spots Clary and gives her a look of loathing. I instantly wrap my arm tighter around her. For some reason, I want to protect her.

"Oh, good. We can finally order. I would like a chocolate milk shake, a cheeseburger, and some chili-cheese fries." Clary says, giving Kaelie a menacing look. _Damn, she looks scary as hell._ I clear my throat and place my order. Kaelie walks to the kitchen with our orders.

"So, what do you think the odds are that she'll spit in my food?" Clary asks once she's gone.

"I don't think she'll want to mess with you after that look you gave her. You were pretty scary." I say chuckling a little.

"Oh shut up. I was not. I can't be scary. Have you seen me? I'm 5 foot nothing and couldn't even reach her with those ridiculous heels she has on."

"Jon has said many times not to be fooled by your lack of height because you can pack a pretty mean punch." I say impressed. She rolls her eyes and turns red. I laugh and lean down to kiss her cheek, then the corner of her mouth, then finally her lips. She smiles against my lips and my whole body erupts in goose bumps. I smirk and begin placing small, wet kisses on her neck and below her ear. She shivers and pushes against me, but she has a big grin on her face. Kaelie dumps our food down and glares at Clary before walking away. Clary just shrugs and digs in. I watch her shovel chili-cheese fries into her mouth and am amazed at the amount of food someone so tiny can put away. _God, I love this girl._ When we finish, we walk to the car. Just as we reach her door, I push her up against it and lean down to kiss her neck some more. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls my face to hers where she kisses me with such intensity. I open up wider and it's almost like we're trying to devour each other. But like always, we must stop. I clutch her close and kiss her once more on the neck.

"Do you know how to skate?" I ask.

She laughs. "That's kind of random. Do you mean roller-skate or ice skate?" she remarks.

"Roller. Do you know how to?"

"Yeah. I used to go all the time. . . ." she trails off and I know what she means. She used to go all the time with Simon. She smiles and raises an eyebrow. "Why?" she asks narrowing her eyes at me.

"I want to take you skating."

"Now? Look what I'm wearing!"

I look her up and down. "I have been looking. I'll have to thank Isabelle later for that too. I have some socks in the car you can put on with the skates. Come on. It'll be fun!"

She purses her lips. "Fine. I'll go skating in this short dress." Then she smiles as she gets past me, rubbing down my stomach and climbs in. I shake my head and smile. This is going to be fun.

_**How did you like that date? It sounded like a date I would like to go on but then again I do love to go skating! Send me your thoughts please! I've almost hit 100 reviews! EEK! :)**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	14. Chapter 13

_**Happy Weekend people! Thanks so much for all the reviews. I am now over 100! WOOHOO! Now for Chapter 13 - this is for all you drama lovers ;)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**I own the plot - nothing else!**_

**Chapter 13:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Innocence by Avril Lavigne_

_In My Veins by Andrew Belle_

_Broken by Lifehouse_

_Glycerine by Bush_

I wake up with a smile on my face. Last night was the best date I have ever been on. I lie in bed and think about how much fun I had. After leaving Taki's, Jace took me to a skating rink. We skated for hours, laughing and holding hands. I felt like a kid again. This was not a conventional date by any means, but that just made it more special. I don't think Jace has gone on a date quite like that either. When we got back to the apartment, he walked me to the door. He kissed me good night and I swear this kiss seemed different. I think we're getting closer to a real relationship and as scary as that is, I think I'm ready for it. He makes me happier than I thought possible. When I came in last night, Isabelle pounced on me, asking for details. She couldn't believe we left that fancy restaurant and went skating. I told her to hush because it was perfect. I went to sleep smiling and feeling his lips on mine.

I get up slowly and realize how sore I am. It's been a long time since I skated and I forgot how it's a good source of exercise. I stretch and grab some clothes and throw them on. I slip on some shoes and head to the bathroom to tame my rat nest and brush my teeth. After splashing some cold water on my face, I skip to the kitchen. Isabelle and Jon are in there fixing coffee. I step up and grab a cup and fix myself some.

"I'm making pancakes for breakfast. Do you want to see if Jace wants some?" Jon asks, turning towards me.

I try to hide my smile but can't so I nod and walk out the door. I head next door and knock on Jace's door.

o.O.o

JPOV

_Beep, Beep, Beep!_ I stretch my arm out and hit the alarm clock to shut it up. I turn over on my stomach and bury my head in the pillow. I was having a wonderful dream and I try to get back to it. I feel something touch my hair and I open my eyes and focus. Standing by my bed in nothing but the shirt I had on last night is Kaelie. I bolt upright in the bed, eyes wide open.

"What are you doing here? Why the hell are you in my room wearing my shirt?!" I yell.

She comes closer and says, "I thought we could have some fun, like we used to, babe."

"Don't call me that and I'm not interested in doing anything with you anymore. Get dressed and get the hell out of my apartment before I call the police and have you arrested for breaking in." I yell at her and jump up.

"I didn't break in. The door was unlocked. Come on babe, just let me make you feel good. You know I can." she says seductively.

I look at her with disgust. I can't believe I ever went for this type of thing. "No, now get out." I say just as I hear a knock on the door. "You better be dressed and ready to leave when I get back from answering the door." I say walking past her to the door.

I open it and Clary is standing there smiling and looking so beautiful. "Hi." she says shyly.

"Hi. You look beautiful." I can't help saying. She looks down, her face turning pink before she looks back up at me.

"Thanks. Um, Jon's making pancakes this morning. Isabelle stayed over last night and I came to see if you wanted to eat with us." she says with a smile on her face.

"I would lo—"

"Jace, babe, who's at the door?" a voice behind me asks.

Clary looks past me and the smile slips from her face. She looks back at me and hurt is clear in her eyes. I reach out for her but she steps back holding her hands up.

"I see your busy." she says and rushes down the hall.

"Clary! Wait, it's not what it looks like!" I yell out to her, but she's gone. I whip around and Kaelie is standing there with a manipulative smile on her face still in my shirt.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? I TOLD YOU I DON'T WANT YOU! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY APARTMENT NOW!" I scream at her pushing her into the hall. Jon and Isabelle come running out in the hall to see what's going on.

"Why her? I could make you happy, why did you choose her? She's nothing. I would've done anything you wanted me to do, but you threw me away. What makes her so special?" Kaelie yells at me.

"You could never make me happy. You want to know the reason? You were just something to do when I was bored, nothing more. I was not in love with you and I am with her. That's why it's her." I tell her. "Now, get out of here and never come back or I will call the police."

Her shoulders slump and she wipes away some tears and walks down the hall. I turn to Jon and he looks livid. Isabelle looks shocked.

"Jon, I swear it's not what it looks like. I woke up and she was there wearing my shirt. I didn't do anything with her last night." I say holding my hands up.

He considers what I said and relaxes slightly. "I believe you. Where's Clary?"

"She saw Kaelie and ran out of here. She wouldn't let me explain. I have to find her. She has to know that I didn't do anything." I say frantically.

"I'll go look for her, Isabelle you stay here in case she comes back." Jon says and starts down the hall. Isabelle nods and looks at me.

"You better hope you can fix this." she says as she goes back to Jon's apartment, leaving me feeling like I may throw up. I run back in and throw on some clothes and shoes. I run out the door to start looking for her myself. It's raining pretty hard, but I don't care. All I care about is the girl I'm looking for. I run to the park where I found her yesterday, but it's empty. I keep going, looking everywhere. After 2 hours of searching and not finding her, I call Isabelle.

"Anything?" I ask when she answers the phone.  
"No, but Jon called his stepdad and he's looking for her there. I'll call you when I hear something." she says.

I keep walking and looking, my chest so tight I can hardly breathe. _Where can she be?_ Just as I turn down my street, my phone rings. I grab it out of my soaking wet pocket. I look at the caller id and see Jon's name.

"Hello?"

"She's been found. My stepdad found her near our old house at the cemetery. He picked her up and is meeting me halfway. I'm on my way now." Jon says, relief evident in his voice but still laced with worry.

"I want to go with you."

"I don't think you need to. I think it would be better if it's just me for now. Let me talk to her and then you can."

"Is she alright?" I choke out, closing my eyes tight.

"I don't know. Luke said she was sitting at Simon's grave soaking wet. She took the bus all the way there. I just hope she's not like she was when I first got her to move with me. That was bad and she's made so much progress lately. I'll call you back when we're on the way home." Jon says and then we hang up. I lower my head and walk home. I feel horrible that she still doesn't know what happened and that she still thinks the worst of me. All I can do now is wait and hope and pray she'll understand.

o.O.o

I can't believe how stupid I am. I fell for him and I stupidly thought he felt the same way. She was there wearing nothing but his t-shirt. He had clearly just rolled out of bed and he was with her. They must've hooked up after our date. _ God! Why did he act so interested in me?_ I ran from them. I couldn't take it. I had to get out of there. I ran and ran. I didn't even notice the rain pelting down on me. This time the rain didn't wash away the sadness.

I run until I can't breathe anymore. I bend over with my hands on my knees trying to grasp my breath. I look up and see the bus station. I run inside and buy a one-way ticket home. I sit by the window and shiver waiting for the two hour ride home.

Once I see the familiar streets of town, I get up to get off. I walk straight to the cemetery. When I see his name, I fall to my knees and cry. My phone keeps buzzing in my pocket but I ignore it. It's been ringing since I left. I know I should let Jon know where I am but I can't find the strength to talk to him or anyone. After a while, I hear someone walking toward me. Their feet crunching on the wet gravel path. I hear my name and I look up. Luke is standing above me, looking at me with relief and worry mixed together.

"Clary, thank God. Jon is worried sick. Come on, let's get you out of here." he says gently tugging me up off the ground.

I get up and he wraps his arms around me and walks me to his beat up pickup truck. I climb in and smell leather and grease. A smell that reminds me of going everywhere with Luke when I was little. Even before him and mom got married. He was always there for me and Jon. I look over at him and think of how lucky I am to have him. He's on the phone talking low. I assume he's talking to Jon. When he hangs up, he peers over at me.

"Does mom know I ran away?" I ask, my voice sounding flat.

"No, I thought it be best not to worry her. Jon's on his way to get you. We're meeting him halfway. Do you want to talk about anything?" he asks tentatively.

I shake my head. "I'll have to talk about it with Jon and I don't think I can get through it twice."

He nods and we ride in silence. I lean my head on the window and fall asleep.

I feel someone shake my shoulder gently. I open my eyes and look around. We're at the diner that Jon and I stopped at on the way to my new home. The rain has stopped thankfully but my curls are wound tight from sitting in the rain for so long. Luke gets out and comes around to open my door. I step out and hear the sound of a car stopping abruptly beside the truck. My brother jumps out and pulls me tightly to him in a bone crushing hug.

"Cherry drop! Oh my God! Everyone has been freaking out. Don't ever do that to me again. Are you alright?" Jon says in a rush of emotion.

"I'm fine. Let's just go." I say detaching myself from him. I turn and hug Luke. "Thanks Luke. I love you."

"Just take care, Clary." he says as I get in Jon's car. Jon and Luke exchange a few words, but I can't tell what they are. Jon then calls someone and gets in and starts the car, driving us home. He doesn't say anything at first. I wait for it but it doesn't come. I can't take the silence anymore.

"I'm sorry for running off like that. I just couldn't stay there with. . . .with _him_. . . .and. . . ." My voice drifts off with hurt and exhaustion.

"Clary-berry, Jace didn't do anything with her. She broke into his apartment and took her clothes off while he was asleep. He found her in there right before you knocked. He got in a huge fight with her in the hallway after you ran. He has spent hours looking for you and he's devastated." he says looking at me every so often. "He doesn't want her, Clary."

I close my eyes and try to believe him, but it was so obvious. Maybe he didn't do anything this time, but it's only a matter of time before he gets bored with me and finds someone else.

"When we get back, I don't want to see him yet. I need some time to process everything. Okay?" I ask quietly.

"Sure berry. Whatever you need." Jon replies. The rest of the ride we just listen to the radio. Once we get back to the apartment, I go straight to my room. I hear Isabelle ask Jon how I was doing and then I close my door.

As I sit there, I get more and more pissed. _Maybe if I looked more like Kaelie, I could be enough. Or I could act more like her._ I throw open my closet and put together a skimpy black skirt that barely covers my ass and short tank top that shows part of my stomach. I top it off with black combat boots that comes to my knees. I fix my hair and put on more make-up than I've ever worn. I throw open my door and stalk out. Jon and Isabelle look up and Jon scrambles off the couch.

"Clary, what the hell are you doing?" he asks in shock.

"I'm going out." I say and walk to the door.

"I'll go with her." Isabelle says jumping up to run after me.

Once in the hall, going down the stairs, she asks what's going on.

"I feel like going out. " I shrug.

"Dressed like that? Not that you don't look good, because you do, but it's not your usual style." she says eyeing me warily.

"Maybe I need to change my style and then I can get noticed too. Maybe if I weren't so boring then I could keep people happy. Maybe if I act like a whore, I wouldn't get my heart broken." I spit out angrily.

"Clary, you don't need to do any of those things. He does notice you and you aren't boring. You are the most amazing person. We all love you and don't want you to change anything about yourself." Isabelle says and wraps her arm around mine. I take a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Thanks, but I need to let loose tonight. I won't get carried away. I promise." I say giving her a small smile.

We get to the club we went to one other time. We walk in and go straight to the bar. I start ordering shots of liquor. My head begins to feel fuzzy so I get up to dance. I close my eyes and get lost in the music. I feel different hands rubbing all over me. I can't find it in me to care about it. I just keep dancing. I feel breath on my neck and lips sliding across my neck and shoulders. I open my eyes and I am met with angry gold ones looking at me from a few feet away.

_**Uh oh! I'm not good with drama so what did you think? I do so much better with fluff! Review and let me know!**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	15. Chapter 14

_**Hi people! I just couln't leave you with the last chapter without updating quickly. I hate it when that happens, so here is Chapter 14. Hope you like it! :)**_

**Characters and music are owned by people other than me!**

**Chapter 14:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkeys_

_Whatever It Takes by Lifehouse_

_Karma Police by Radiohead_

Jace. I was not expecting him to be here. Well since he's here, I might as well give him a show. I grind up against the guy dancing behind me and close my eyes. The guy rubs my thighs and breathes on the back of my neck. I turn around and face the guy. _Thank God, he's good looking! _I wrap my arms around his neck and bring him down to me. Then I feel myself getting pulled away and into a warm chest. I open my eyes and spin around glaring at him.

"What the hell do you want?" I ask with as much venom in my voice as I can make considering the amount of alcohol I consumed. I jerk out of his grasp but he grabs my arm.

"Isabelle called and told me I needed to come down and save you. And from what I have seen, I'd say she was right." he says scowling down at me.

"Well I don't need saving, so you can just go back to your whore, doing what you were doing this morning." I spit back at him. He tightens his grip on my arm but not enough to hurt.

"I think you do need saving. You're practically having sex right here on the dance floor." he shouts at me.

"Well it made you finally notice me, didn't it? This is the kind of girl that turns you on, isn't it?" I yell back stumbling a bit.

I turn to leave but his eyes widen and he grabs me by the waist and pulls me close. I find myself swaying against him. It must be the alcohol that's making me, but I have never wanted someone so much as I do right now. I place my hands on his chest and feel his heart beating frantically. I move my hands slowly up his body to his shoulders and then down his arms and around his muscular biceps. His eyes bore into mine as he clutches me impossibly tighter and runs his hands down my back. He leans down and grazes my ear with his lips.

"Clary, I didn't do what you think I did. I swear. I don't want her. I want you just the way you are, not this." he says in my ear. "Come on. Let's get you home."

I slump against him and let him lead me out of the club and back home. Instead of going to my apartment, he brings me inside his. I flop on the couch as he goes to get me some water to drink. I close my eyes and then all I see is darkness.

o.O.o

JPOV

I rush back to the living room to bring Clary some water and stop short. She has fallen asleep slumped over the side of the couch. I sit the glass down and scoop her up. I carry her to my bedroom and gently lay her down and cover her up. I sit on the edge of the bed and remove a curl that has fallen over her face. I stroke her cheek and just watch her for a minute. The freckles scattered across her nose are so adorable. I stare at her face, looking at everything. The copper lashes resting on her cheek, her tiny nose, her beautiful pink lips, and her flaming red hair. Releasing a sigh, I bend down and kiss her on the cheek. I make my way to the couch and sit down running my hands through my hair. When Isabelle called me and told me to get to the club as fast as possible, I was frantic. I was not prepared for what I saw. The way she was dressed and dancing with those guys. It made me see red. I can't believe she did that because she thought that's what I like. To be honest, it was. Not anymore. I want Clary, short, red-headed, freckled, beautiful Clary. In the morning, I plan on making this right. I just hope she's the forgiving type.

o.O.o

My eyelids flutter open and the light coming through the window seems different. I look to the window and realize it's in the wrong place. I gaze around and realize I have no idea where I'm at. Panic seizes me and I look under the covers and thankfully, I'm still fully clothed. I sit up and grab my head. _Oh, shit! _My head feels like a hammer is bashing into it. I try to move more slowly. I stand up and grab my shoes off the floor and crack open the door. It's quiet so I tip toe towards the door. Once I get to the living room, I realize where I am. Jace's apartment. _How did I get here?_ I rack my brain through the pain to try to remember last night. I remember dancing with strangers and then I remember angry, golden eyes.

"Clary." a familiar voice breathes out in relief. I turn toward the voice and see Jace sitting up on the couch. He had obviously slept there last night. I feel a pang of sympathy for a split second.

"Um, I uh was just leaving." I say awkwardly. He shoots up faster than I thought it possible and dashes over to me.

"Please, wait. Please I need to talk to you." he begs. _Jace begging?_ "Sit down and let me explain everything to you."

He leads me to the couch and I sit. He sits on the coffee table in front of me and leans forward with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Yesterday, when I woke up, I found Kaelie in here. She had come in after Alec left for work and took off her clothes and put on my shirt I had thrown on the floor. When I saw her I yelled at her and told her to leave. Then you knocked on the door. When I came to the door, she must've heard me talking to you so she came out and made it seem like we had been together all night. I promise. . . . I swear I didn't do anything with her. And last night when I saw you at the club, I couldn't stand seeing you with those guys. I think you're perfect the way you are. I may have wanted someone like Kaelie before I met you, but now all I want is you. Please believe me, Clary." he explains.

I stare at him for a second. "Why?" I ask him.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me? It doesn't make any sense." I say sadly.

"I have never felt like this before. I want everything with you. I want it all. I have since I met you. I haven't been able to tell you. I didn't know how. I hoped you would just know how I feel about you. I'm sorry. I should've told you before you lost faith in me."

I let out a sigh. "You really are an idiot." I say biting my lip and trying not to smile.

"I really am." He says nodding with the corners of his mouth turning up. "Does this mean you believe me?"

"Yeah. I believe you." I say and give him a small smile.

"Clary?"

"Yeah?"

He leans towards me and holds my hands in his. "I want to be with you and _only _you." he says in a low voice.

I find myself leaning toward him without thinking. "So, you mean you want to be together, _together_?" I ask with my lips almost touching his.

"Uh huh. That's exactly what I mean." he whispers against my mouth and kisses me with so much passion it takes my breath away. After a lot of kissing and a lot of smiling, we break apart and look at each other with big goofy grins on our faces. "I should probably take you home so Jon can see you're okay. He's been pretty worried about you."

I sigh and say, "I know he has. I shouldn't have run away like that. I'm sorry." I say looking down.

"I'm just glad you came back and that you're mine now." he says lifting my chin up to look at him. I smile and give him a chaste kiss before getting up. We walk to the door hand in hand. When we walk into the apartment, I get assaulted by Jon. He rushes to me and squeezes me tight.

"Can't breathe, Jon." I choke out. He instantly releases me and plants a kiss to the top of head.

"Sorry, Clare-bear. I've just been so worried." he says leaning down to look in my eyes.

"You worry too much about me. I'm fine. I'm actually better than fine." I say biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. I glance over at Jace and he smirks at me before looking down. If I didn't know better, I would say he just blushed. That can't be right. Jace doesn't blush. Isabelle comes out of the bathroom, freshly showered and sees me.

"Clary! Are you okay?" she asks looking between me and Jace.

I nod and just as I'm about to respond, Jace wraps his arms around he and kisses me on the lips.

"We wanted to let you both know that Clary and I have decided to make it official. Clary is my beautiful and perfect girlfriend." Jace says smiling down at me. I roll my eyes but kiss him anyway.

"I'm going to go change." I say pulling Jace down the hall to my room.

"I get to watch? If I knew that I would've asked you sooner." he says after we get out of ear shot, wagging his eyebrows up and down.

"Shut up." I say smacking him on the chest. He laughs and lies down on my bed with his arms crossed behind his head. He watches me gather a change of clothes, smiling the whole time. I walk over to the bed and put my arms on either side of him and lean down until our faces are level.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower and I'll be back. Don't go anywhere." I say and press my lips to his. As I pull back, he leans up and cups the back of my neck and deepens the kiss before letting me go. I smirk and dash to the bathroom, where I take the quickest shower of my life.

o.O.o

JPOV

I watch Clary leave the room. My eyes sweep around the room and I get up to see the few pictures she has tucked in around her mirror. There's a picture of her and Jon standing beside a man and woman. The woman is most definitely Clary's mom. She has the same red hair and green eyes, but Clary's hair and eyes shine brighter. There are some more pictures of her and Jon. One of them has been folded over. I pick it up and unfold it. It's a picture of the boy I saw in the photo album I was looking at that one time with Clary. Simon, Clary's best friend. I place the picture back the way she had it and I wander over to the window seat she likes to sit at. I look out the window and see the park next door. It's a pretty nice view. I notice on the seat beside me is a sketch book. I flip it open and see the most amazing drawings. There are tons of them in here. She drew all of us at the beach, lots of Jon and her mom and dad, lots of Simon, and one of me. I study that one for a minute. _Wow, I am pretty good- looking._ I smirk and put the sketch book back down. I go back to lie on the bed and wait for my new girlfriend. A few minutes later, she walks in stealing my breath away. She smiles at me and climbs on the bed to lie beside me.

"You stayed." she says softly.

I stroke her cheek. "Of course I stayed. Where else would I be?" I ask looking at her, really taking in how beautiful she is.

"I was almost convinced I imagined everything and I would come back to an empty room." she says while rubbing her hand down my arm.

"Nope baby, it's real. Now come here." I say pulling her half-way on top of me so I can kiss her.

She leans up as I lean down and our lips meet, warmth spreads over my whole body and I pull her closer. Her hands fist in my hair and she gently pulls. I let out a groan and this seems to turn her on because she deepens the kiss and begins rubbing her hands down my chest and abs. When she gets to the waistband of my jeans, my breath hitches and she tenses up. We pull away from each other and I look at her. She stares back intently, her eyes bright and her face flushed.

"Maybe we should slow down a little." I say, my voice sounding rough.

Her face falls slightly and she nods and moves to get up, but I pull her back. "I don't want you to go anywhere. I just don't want to go too fast and make you regret anything."

Her face turns bright red and she looks down. Not meeting my eyes, she asks quietly, "D-do you want to – nevermind."

I cup her cheeks and look into her eyes. "Of course I do. God, I want you so bad. You have no idea how much I'd like to. I just don't want to mess this up." I say honestly.

The corners of her mouth turn up and her smile gets wider. 'So what should we do today?" she asks, biting her lip.

"I don't know, but if you don't stop doing that, I won't be able to control myself." I say touching her lip with my thumb. She smiles against my thumb and lies down putting her head on my chest. I stroke her hair and she lets a sigh of contentment. I swear I could hold her like this for the rest of my life. Before long, I feel her going limp. I can tell she's fallen asleep so I squeeze her a little and settle down to sleep beside my girl. And this is what we do, we stay wrapped up together all day.

_**Oh the fluff is back! Now they are officially together! Took them long enough - jeez! I hope you're not too disappointed that the drama only lasted for a little while, but I'm sure it will return eventually! Give me your thougths - this is what fuels me to keep going! By the way, I now have 100 followers and that is too cool! :)**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	16. Chapter 15

_**Hi everyone! I decided to get an update today because I will be super busy tomorrow. Also, thanks for all the encouraging reviews. Drama is not my thing and everyone had such nice things to say, so thanks! :) Anywho. . . . here's Chapter 15. Enjoy!**_

_**You all no what I own and what I don't!**_

**Chapter 15:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Lazy Eye by Silversun Pickups_

_Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon_

_The Only Exception by Paramore_

I get out of the shower and stand in front of my closet wrapped in a towel, debating what to wear for the day. Isabelle and I are spending the day together since we haven't hung out just the two of us in a while. It's Saturday and last night the four of us were ordering a pizza and watching a movie together. Isabelle suggested we do something and Jon and Jace could hang out. She said she needed some girl time. I smile thinking about Jace's frown when she said this. He told me last night before he left, he didn't want to share. I told him it would be okay and I would see him later on and if he was good, I would reward him. He growled and kissed me hard.

I shake my head and continue searching through my closet. Just as I reach in to pull something out, my door flies open and in comes Jace. When his eyes land on me in my towel, they widen and his mouth falls open.

"Jesus Christ! I'm sorry, I should've knocked. I just wanted to see you before you left with Isabelle." he says in a rush.

"It's fine, Jace. I'm glad you came. I wanted to see you too." I say, walking toward him. I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my forehead on his chest, breathing in his scent. He places his arms around me and holds me to him. "Clary." His voice sounds strained. I look up at him and he's clenching his jaw tight.

"What's wrong?" I ask with concern. He touches my face and shakes his head.

"You're only wearing a towel and you're right up against me and I uh I probably need to not touch you right now." he says, shivering slightly. A slow smirk begins to form on my face as I look at him.

"Is this bothering you?" I ask innocently, batting my eyelashes at him.

He narrows his eyes at me and says, "You will be the death of me, you know that? I may have to teach you a lesson later about messing with the master."

"Oh, the master, eh? Well I look forward to learning that lesson." I say reaching up and pressing my lips to his. He kisses me back but pulls away and backs up.

"You are very dangerous." He sighs. "I better go see if Jon is ready. I'll see you later." he says pecking me once more on the lips.

"Okay. Bye. I'll miss you today." I say sweetly.

He turns around in the doorway, and smiles a crooked smile. "I'll miss you too. Bye, baby." Then he walks out, leaving me to finish getting dressed. I'm still grinning like an idiot when I make it out to the living room where Isabelle waits for me.

"What are you grinning about?" she asks as she gets up to follow me to the door.

"Nothing." I say shaking my head and looking down blushing.

"Nuh uh. Something's got you smiling like that. I know it has to do with a certain brother of mine." She gasps and I look over at her curiously. "Oh my God, did you guys, you know, do it?"

"Isabelle! No, we haven't done…._that_." I say turning 15 shades of red. Isabelle gives me a speculative look. I keep walking hoping my blush returns to normal. We get into her car and spend the day shopping, getting our nails done, or rather getting Isabelle's nails done. I bite mine so there's really no point. When it's time for lunch, she asks me where I want to go. I think about it for a minute and I start to smile.

"You look a little creepy when you grin like that. What are you thinking about?"

"Let's go to Taki's. The food's great." I say with a shrug.

"Uh huh. Are you sure you just want to go for the food?" she asks eyeing my reaction.

"Well I _may_ have another reason for going there." I say. Isabelle just looks at me.

"Kaelie works there and I want to let her know her little stunt did not work and that Jace and I are together." I huff. Isabelle links her arms through mine and we walk the rest of the way to Taki's.

When we walk in, we pick a booth by the window. I slide in and Isabelle sits opposite from me facing the kitchen. Kaelie can't see me until she comes over to take our orders. I hear the click clack of high heels and know she's coming. When she sees Isabelle, she hesitates before continuing on to the table.

"What can I get for you?" she says in a nasally voice. Then she looks at me and glares at me. I smile smugly at her.

"Well hello. Kaelie is it?" I say sweetly. "Too bad Jace rejected you. It must've been awfully embarrassing for you. Just know that if you so much as breathe near Jace again, I will rip your bleach blonde hair right out of your head. He. Is. Mine." I say with malice. She looks like she wants to explode. Her nostrils flare and she moves her hand to slap me, but a hand catches her around the wrist.

"Don't you even think about laying a hand on her or so help me, no one will be able to recognize you after I'm through with you." Isabelle sneers in her face. Kaelie lets out a scream and the manager rushes out to see what is going on.

"Kaelie, what in the world has gotten into you?" he asks shocked.

"She just tried to slap me. And my friend here just stopped her from doing it. I think we should eat elsewhere if this is the type of servers you hire." I say gliding out of the booth to leave.

"No, no. Please order anything you like, it's on the house. Kaelie-my office now." He turns and addresses an older lady behind the counter. "Mary, can you take care of these lovely ladies?" And then he turns, dragging Kaelie into the office. After a few minutes, Kaelie storms out of the restaurant without looking at us again. I smile over at Isabelle and she smirks back at me.

"That was fun. We should do it again sometime." Isabelle says and we laugh together and enjoy our delicious meal.

o.O.o

JPOV

Jon and I leave the apartment and go to the batting cages. Jon drives and we ride in comfortable silence. When we get to the cages and begin hitting, Jon starts talking.

"So, you start your new job in a few weeks. Are you ready?" he asks me as he grunts into the swing.

"Yeah. It'll be fun. I'll get to train guys in baseball and football, my two favorite sports. And I'm really glad I get to stay here to do it. Some of the jobs require traveling. I wouldn't want to leave now." I say smiling, remembering Clary in that towel. _Definitely glad I'm staying!_

"You really like my sister, don't you?" he says without looking over at me.

**_Smack!_** I grunt as I hit the ball.

"I really do. You seem pretty fond of mine too, you know." I say while hitting another ball.

He chuckles and says, "I do. I'd like to do something special for her. What do you say about taking a trip before you start working, just the four of us? I would say Alec too, but he seems busy right now. I've hardly seen him since we got back from the beach."

"Sure. I would definitely enjoy some more time with Clary. Where would you like to go?" I say hitting my last ball.

"Well, Luke has a lake house north of here. We used to go there all the time. I know Clary loves it there. We could head up on a Thursday night and come back Sunday night or Monday, depending on how many days we can get off work." he says picking up his things and walking out of the batting cage. I grab my stuff and walk out too.

"That sounds good to me. We should go next weekend." I say, grinning at the thought of seeing Clary in a bikini again. Last time, we weren't together. Now we are and I can touch her anytime I want. The thought alone makes my smile widen further.

"I know you're thinking dirty things about my sister. I do not want to know about it." Jon says while we get in the car. I look over at him and grin.

"I was thinking about her. I always am. And you're right; you probably don't want to know what I was thinking about."

Jon glances at me and he frowns. "I don't want to know what you two do. Just please be good to her." he says as the light turns green and he continues driving.

"You don't need to worry about that, Jon. I never want to hurt her. I love her." I say truthfully.

"I know you do. But I always worry about her. She's my baby sister and she's so tiny, even though she could probably kick anybody's ass that she wanted. I still worry." he says with a sigh. "Let's get some food. I'm starving."

"Me, too man." I say with a grin.

o.O.o

Isabelle and I go back to the apartment to hang out and watch a movie. She makes us a margarita while I get the movie on and we settle on the couch together. As the movie begins playing, my thoughts drift off to Jace, like always. This morning when he saw me in the towel, he had gotten a little too excited and said he shouldn't touch me. He keeps saying he wants to take things slow, but it makes me wonder why he wants to wait with me. He wasn't one to take things slow before, why now? It bothers me and I can't help think it's because of my inexperience in the whole thing. I glance over at Isabelle. She's experienced and she knows Jace. Maybe she can give me some insight about this. I decide to ask her even if it's uncomfortable.

"Isabelle?" I ask timidly. She notices my tone and turns to me immediately.

"You know, earlier when you asked about me and Jace? If we had um done it already?" _God this is embarrassing!_

"Yeah?" she says not quite following me. I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

"Well, we haven't and Jace keeps saying he wants to take things slow and I don't know if it's because he doesn't really want to, um, do that with me or because I have no idea what I'm doing. And well, I was wondering what you thought about it." I say, my face burning and looking down.

"Clary, are you a virgin?" she asks quietly.

"No. But I've only done it once and it was not very pleasant. I know he's been with a shit ton of girls and I don't know…." I say trailing off with a shrug.

"Does Jace know you're not one?" she asks taking a drink from her glass.

I shake my head. "No. It's never come up so I haven't mentioned it."

"I think I know what's going on. I think Jace is scared because he thinks you're innocent. He probably doesn't want you to regret anything and he probably wants it to be really special between you when you do. Has he told you he loves you?" she asks, looking me in the eyes with a serious face.

"No, he hasn't. It's too soon for something like that isn't?"

"I don't think so. You two are just meant to be, I can feel it." she says. I take all that in and think about it.

"He does you know." she says, bringing me out of reverie.

"He does what?" I ask confused.

"He does love you already. He told me and Jon a while ago." she says smiling. "You need to talk to him about this." My eyes widen and she holds up her hand. "Ask him what you asked me. I know it's embarrassing but you'll be glad it's out in the open." she says smiling. Then the door opens and we both turn. Jon and Jace walk in. Jace locks his gaze on me and a breathtaking smile forms on his face. I return the smile and feel my cheeks heat. Jon pecks Isabelle on the cheek and pats me on the head as he passes by to the kitchen.

"Hey Cherry drop!" he greets me. Isabelle gets up and follows Jon into the kitchen leaving me alone with Jace. I think back to the conversation I just had with Isabelle and my face feels hot and I look away awkwardly. Jace notices the change and comes over to sit next to me. He places his palm on my cheek and feels the heat in my face. He searches my eyes for a second and bends to kiss me on the lips. When he pulls back, I say, "Hi."

He laughs softly and replies, "Hi. God, I didn't think it would be possible for you to become more beautiful than this morning but you are."

I reach my hand around his neck and rub through his silky curls. He closes his eyes and I lean in to kiss him gently. A cough interrupts our moment. I look up to see Jon and Isabelle coming into the living room. They sit on the loveseat close together. I smile at them. They make such a cute couple. Not weird like I must look like next to Jace.

"So, girls….Jace and I were thinking about taking you two out of town for a few days. If you can get off work, babe." Jon says turning to Isabelle. Isabelle cocks her head to the side and taps her finger on her chin.

"When do you want to go?" she asks.

"Next weekend. Leave Thursday and come back either Sunday or Monday." Jace answers.

"I could probably take off Friday, but not Monday." she says in response.

"Where would we be going?" I ask.

"To the lake house." Jon says to me. My eyes light up and I squeal! Jace laughs at my reaction. I jump up and throw myself at my brother hugging him tight. "I love the lake house!"

He laughs and hugs me back. "I know you do. So I guess it's safe to say that you're in."

"Yes! Most definitely!" I say and go to sit in Jace's lap and kiss his cheek. His arms go around me and he nuzzles into my neck, occasionally kissing there. I shiver and realize I want more than these little moments. I look over at Isabelle and she catches my gaze and nods her head a little to let me know I should go for it. I grab Jace's hands and stand up, pulling him up with me. I lead him down the hall to my room. When we get in, I close and lock the door and pull him to the bed. I sit down and he follows, our hands still clasped.

"Um, Jace?" I say anxiously.

"Clary, baby, what's wrong?" he asks with concern, trying to look at me, but I keep my face turned down and away from his gaze.

"I – I want to talk to you about something." _Great! I'm already stuttering. _I take a deep breath and blow it out noisily.

"Why do you want to go slow with me?" I ask my face burning so hot, I fear it may catch fire soon.

"What?"

"Is it be-because I don't know what I'm doing or because you don't want to with me." I say barely above a whisper.

He pulls my face to him but my eyes stay down. "Clary, look at me." I slowly meet his eyes. "Of course I want to with you. It's just I've never been with anyone that matters so much." he says softly, raking a curl behind my ear. I consider what he's saying.

"Ar-are we ever going to?" I ask shyly. _Jesus, somebody kill me now. _

He smiles softly and kisses me. "I promise we will, but I want it to be the right time and I want to know you're really ready." He hesitates for a second and a flash of something crosses his eyes. "Clary, have you ever. . . .before?"

"Yes, but. . . ."

"But what?"

"It was so awful and I haven't done it since." I say quietly.

His eyes soften. "Your first time should've been special. I would've made sure it was. When it's our first time, I promise it will be."

A new thought just occurred to me and I inhale a sharp breath. I look at Jace with wide eyes.

"What if….what if I'm no good at it? I have little to no experience and you….well you have been with lots of girls. I won't be able to compare to them, Jace." I stand up abruptly from the bed and start pacing. "Oh, God!" I say with my hand going to my mouth. "You won't want me anymore. This would make a lot more sense than you actually liking me in that way. What was I thinking? I wasn't thinking, that's what. I kept telling myself, maybe this is your time, you know. Who was I kidding? Um, I think, I'm just gonna go take a walk or something." I say looking around for my shoes. "Damn, where are my shoes?" Jace stops me from moving with an amused expression on his face.

"Clary, stop rambling for a second and let me talk." I stop and look up at him. He cups both of my cheeks and looks me directly in the eyes. "There will _never_ be a time when I don't want you. You want to know how I know that?" I nod my head in his hands. "Because Clary, I love you. I'm in love with you. I have been pretty much since the day we met. I will _never _want anyone but you. Experienced or not, when we finally do it, it will be the best experience of my life because for the first time I'll be doing it with someone I truly love." He comes closer until his nose brushes mine and then he kisses me until my knees go weak.

"I love you, too." I whisper against his mouth.

When he pulls away, our foreheads press together, he adds, "And for the record, I haven't been with as many as you think. I flirt, and I get friendly with my hands but I'm a little stingy when it comes to everything else."

I pull back and look at him with my eyebrows raised. "How many? No don't tell me! Okay, go ahead, No! Nevermind. I don't think I want to know this." I say uncertainly. I mean, a part of me wants to know badly, and the other part of me almost feels sick just thinking about it.

Jace laughs and shakes his head. "Baby. . . .four."

"Four? As in total?" I ask unbelievably.

He nods his head. "Four total." he says.

I stare at him and a small grin creeps on my face. I launch myself at him and throw my arms and around him and pepper his face and neck with kisses.

"I can handle four. This makes me so happy! Oh Jace, I love you. So, so much!" I say smiling wide. He laughs and kisses me again. This is the happiest I have ever been in my life!

_**Oh Clary - so indecisive! So what did you think of their talk? Was it too soon to throw out the L word to each other. I don't know. . . . Anyway, share your thoughts, please! :))**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	17. Chapter 16

_**Happy Hump Day! Thank you bunches - each and every one of you that reviewed last chapter. It means so much to me! :)This chapter is a little lemony so be warned! I hope it's not disappointing! **_

_**The story is mine and I wish Jace was too - or Jon (I'd take him too)! ;)**_

**Chapter 16:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Fade Into You by Mazzy Starr_

_Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis_

_Never Let Me Go by Florence and the Machine (Jamie Campbell Bower is in this video-it's a weird video but he looks good in it)_

Things have definitely gotten better between me and Jace since we had that talk. He's more relaxed around me and when things start heating up, he isn't so quick to stop them. No, we haven't gotten that far yet, but I don't think either of us will be able to last much longer.

I think back to the other night. Jon and Isabelle were out on a date, leaving me and Jace home alone. We were just sitting on the couch watching TV, when I felt a hand creep up my thigh and hot breath on my neck. I smiled and let him continue to see how far we would get. He started licking and sucking on my neck while I was desperately trying to suppress the moans threatening to spill from my mouth. I turned my head and captured his lips, opening immediately for him. He groaned and I sat up and straddled his lap. His hands went straight to my hips and squeezed them tightly. Our lips never leaving each other. Jace's hands moved bringing my shirt up until they were right under my boobs. I felt his thumb graze over one of my nipples and I gasped and pulled his hair hard. He clutched me tighter and stood up with me clinging to him and carried me to my room. He sat on the bed and pulled me up to the pillows. I reached for his shirt and started pulling on it. He got the message and pulled it off and threw it across the room. He grabbed mine and pulled it off. He stopped and stared down at me. I could feel my whole body flush with embarrassment at what he was seeing, but the look in his eyes told me he loved what he was seeing and for the first time, I actually felt beautiful. He bent down and kissed me down my neck and across my collarbone to the tops of my breasts.

"I love you, Clary." he said and his hands traveled down to my shorts. I unbuttoned them and he looked at me. I smiled and said, "We don't have to go all the way, but we can do other things, can't we?" He smiled that panty-dropping smile of his and he thrust his hand down my shorts and into my panties. I gasped and arched my back. _Oh Jesus! _I was thoroughly done over. He kept up his ministrations and I felt my stomach tighten and heat spread throughout my body and I shook with release all over Jace's fingers. He slid up my body with that smile still in place.

"That was hot, baby." he said and brought his mouth down on mine. I kissed him back and flipped us over. "Now it's my turn to make you feel good." I said to him as I sat on his stomach.

"You don't have to do anything for me, baby. I'm good, I promise." he said stroking my hair back away from my face. I shake my head. "I want to. Tell me what you want."

"You really don't need to ask a guy that question." he said smiling crookedly, as his hands rubbed up and down from my waist to my ribs. I positioned myself lower until I was sitting directly on his hard-on. He gasped and closed his eyes. Smiling to myself, I began rocking back and forth on it. His grip tightened on my hips and his mouth parted slightly as his breathing became shallower. I kept going, increasing the tempo a little. Before long, he gripped me so tight I knew there would be bruises in the morning. He shuddered underneath me and opened his eyes to look at me. I smiled and raised my eyebrows at him.

"Was that okay?" I asked, not knowing if I did it right.

"Okay? That was fucking awesome. God, if it's like that with our clothes on, I can't imagine what it'll be like when we do it for real." He sits up and kisses me over and over. "God, I fucking love you!" I laughed and kissed him back. "I love you, too." I said against his mouth.

I shake my head smiling at the memory. I try to concentrate on packing for our weekend to the lake house. I'm so excited to show Jace all of my favorite places there. After a while, I'm completely packed with the clothes Isabelle gave me to pack. I grab my sketch pad and sit on the window seat and begin to draw the lake house from memory. Just I draw the last line; I hear the door open and Jon calling out for me.

"Dew drop! You ready yet?"

I smile and stuff my sketch pad in the bag and head out of my room to the living room. I sit my bag down on the couch and walk to my brother's room. Evidence of Isabelle is everywhere. I stifle a laugh looking around. Jon walks out of the bathroom without a shirt on and grabs one out of a drawer and puts it on.

"Hey shorty!" he says and throws an arm around my shoulders and squeezes me. "I called mom and told her we were going to the lake house this weekend. She wanted to know who all was going. You haven't told her about Jace. Why not?"

"Um, I don't know. How long do you date someone before you tell the family? Does she know about Isabelle?" I ask.

"Yes, she knows about Isabelle. I told her weeks ago." I frown and look down. "Don't worry, I didn't say anything about you and Jace. I just said Isabelle and her brother were going with us. But you need to tell her, berry." he says patting me on the back.

"But she'll make a big deal out of it and she'll want to meet him." He gives me a look. "Fine, I'll tell her but not until after we get back." I say with a pout.

"I'll tell you what. After we get back, all four of us will go home and let them meet both Isabelle and Jace. That way you won't have to do it alone." he says smiling sweetly.

I smile and hug him. "Did you know you're the best big brother in the whole world?"

He hugs me back laughing and says, "I did know that! Now come one, let's go get Jace and pick Isabelle up from work. We should get to the lake house around 8." I nod and grab my bag and walk out with Jon.

I knock on Jace's door and Alec opens it. I haven't seen him in a while.

"Alec! How are you? I haven't seen you in a long time." I say surprised to see him. He smiles and fist pumps Jon and says, "Hey Clary, Jon. It's good to see you both. Work has been brutal lately and I kinda met someone, so I've been seeing her when I can." His cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Really? I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to meet her. What's her name, where did you meet her, how long have you been seeing her?" I say excitedly.

"Whoa there, Cherry-berry! You're going to overwhelm the poor guy. Jeez." Jon says to me shaking his head.

Alec laughs and says, "It's alright man. Her name is Sara, I met her at a business dinner with the executives of the company, and we've been seeing each other for a couple of weeks now."

"That's wonderful, Alec." I say as strong arms wrap around me from behind.

"What's wonderful?" Jace asks us.

"Alec and the girl he's dating." Jon says to Jace. Jace just nods. He must've already known about the girl.

"Well, you two ready?" Jace asks releasing me to pick up his bag by the couch.

"Yep." Jon and I both say at the same time.

Alec walks us to the door. "You guys have fun." he says as we walk out.

"Bye." We all say back to Alec. Jace grabs my hand and we walk down the hall to get in Jon's car. We drive to Isabelle's shop and Jon texts her to let her know we're waiting. A few minutes later, she emerges and climbs in. I settle against Jace and we take off for the lake house talking and laughing, and also some kissing between me and Jace. Jon turns off the interstate onto a rural road. My excitement begins to grow because I know we're getting close. I squeeze Jace's hand and look out the window. He chuckles softly at my exuberance. I turn to glare at him but I get lost in his eyes like I do all the time. He leans close and pecks me on the lips. I was expecting more and I pout at him. He smiles and kisses me again. This one better, but not quite as satisfying as it could be.

Jon pulls on a dirt road and I sit forward to look out the windshield. Then I see the barn and then the house. It looks like an old farmhouse on the outside, but on the inside, mom and Luke remodeled and now it's as modern as you can get. We get out when Jon stops the car and I run up the steps pulling Jace along behind me. I unlock the door after I find the key and rush in. I walk Jace all through the house, telling him about it. Isabelle and Jon are laughing at me dragging Jace from room to room. I lead him upstairs and into my old room.

"This is where we'll be staying." I say turning toward him. He smirks and wraps his arms around me.

"So, you and I will be sharing the same bed for the next three nights? Hmmm…. I think I'm gonna like it here." he says as he leans down and kisses me.

"Mmmm, me too." I say smiling broadly at him. I pull him to the window and point to the lake.

"There's the lake. I always liked this room the best because it faces the lake. Tomorrow, we'll go exploring if you want." I say turning my gaze to him. He smiles and nods his head.

"I'll do anything as long as I get to do it with you." he says and kisses along my jaw and behind my ear.

"Are you ready to go to bed or do you want to do something else?" he asks low in my ear. I so would like to go to bed with him but I know tonight is not _the_ night. Jace said he wants it to be special. I just wonder when it will happen. I want him so bad. _Good God, I'm turning into such a horny freak!_ I'm thinking so hard about when I will finally have him, I forgot he asked me a question.

"Clary? You checked out again. What's got you so deep in thought?" he asks bending down so he is at eye level with me. I turn my eyes to him and decide to be honest with him.

"I'm horny." I say with a pout, sticking my lip out a little and crossing my arms over my chest. Jace laughs and pulls me flush against him. "Soon, baby. I promise. I may have a plan you know. But in the meantime, we could play around a little." he says with that damn smile lighting his face up. The corners of my mouth lift up, and his teeth graze my ear as he whispers, "I'm always horny around you."

That's all it takes, I jump on him and he laughs as he catches me, walks over to the door and locks it, before lying me down on the bed. He stands between my legs, never breaking eye contact, and unbuttons my pants and slides them down my legs and off, leaving me in my panties. He slides his hands up my stomach and I raise my arms and he takes my shirt off. He stares down at me and I watch as his eyes darken. He kneels in front of me and kisses me deeply. Then he leaves a trail of hot, wet kisses down my neck and chest. He gets to my bra and I reach behind me and unhook it. He looks up at me and slides my bra down my arms and tosses it across the room, hitting the window.

Jace looks at my exposed chest and I flush, not from embarrassment this time, but from super horniness. He bends his head down and sucks one of my nipples in his mouth. A moan escapes my mouth and his hand is massaging the other boob, and then he switches. _Holy shit! _Just when I think I can't take it anymore, his mouth leaves my chest and is slowly moving down my stomach. He places a kiss on each hip and gradually slides my panties down my legs and tosses them aside. _Oh my fucking hell! I am completely naked!_

Jace looks at me from his position between my legs. He gives me a grin that instantly makes me wet.

"Don't be too loud. I don't want Jon to bust the door down to rescue you." he says before he disappears between my legs. My eyes roll back into my head and I bite down on my lip to keep from making noises. His mouth is licking, sucking, biting, and kissing me down there until I'm a squirming mess under him. I shove my fist to my mouth and moan around it. I feel a tightening in the pit of my stomach and I arch my back and then I shudder and quiver, breathing very heavy. Jace comes back up with a devilish smile. I grab his face and kiss him as hard as I can. I taste myself, which is mildly gross but I don't care at the moment.

Jace chuckles and says, "You did a good job being quiet, baby."

"Thank you. You did a good job doing _that._" I say back with a smirk. "Now it's your turn." I pull at the hem of his shirt and he reaches behind his neck and pulls it off for me.

I undo his pants and pull them off and reach for his black boxers. His hands come up and hold mine still.

"Clary, you don't have to do this." he says with a conflicted look on his face. I can tell he would really like for me to but he doesn't want to say it.

"I want to." I say and pull his boxers down. I maneuver myself between his legs and kiss him passionately before I kneel down in front of him. I try to control my expression because I'm a little freaked out about how big he is. _How the hell is he supposed to fit inside of me?_ I grab his length in my hand and wrap my mouth around the tip. Jace groans and as I look up at him with my mouth still attached to him, his head falls back. I keep going up and down, licking and sucking, swirling my tongue around and around. I really have no idea if I'm doing it right, but by the noises coming out of Jace, I would have to say I'm doing a decent job. I feel his stomach tighten and he breathes out my name. He pulls back just in time as the milky substance shoots out of the tip and down his length. He lies back on the bed and catches his breath. I stand up and lie down beside him. He pulls me close against him and smiles down at me.

"Was that. . . .Did I do it right?" I ask timidly. He laughs softly stroking his hand through my curls.

"Baby, if you didn't do it right, I wouldn't have gotten off and as you can see I did and I'm very happy right now." he says smirking at me.

I climb up the bed and pull the covers down and slide under them. He joins me after cleaning himself up. We lie tangled up together, naked and happy, and fall asleep in each other's arms.

_**EEEK! I have no idea. . . . um so. . . . your thoughts?**_

_**Nervously until next time. . . .**_


	18. Chapter 17

_**Thank you for the awesome reviews last time. I was so worried that the lemony scene wasn't any good. I still worry, but you guys seem to like it so far, so yeah! This chapter has a little bit of a lemony scene so hopefully you continue to enjoy! **_

_**Anyway - I don't own very many things at all! :)**_

**Chapter 17:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Lie in the Sound by Tresspassers William_

_Fall to Pieces by Avril Lavigne_

_Pretend by Lights_

_My Heart by The Perishers_

JPOV

I feel warm all over and I open my eyes slowly. Sleeping curled up beside me is the most beautiful girl in the world. And she's mine. I smile looking down at her. She looks so peaceful right now. No worries or sadness in her face at all. I remember last night. Everything was amazing. I lift the sheets a little and gaze down to our entwined naked bodies. _Shit, what I would give to touch her again right now!_ Clary begins to stir and I look back at her face. She scoots even closer to me and I kiss her on the temple. Her green eyes flutter open and she gives me a breathtaking smile.

"Hi." she says a little shyly.

"Morning, beautiful." I say, moving a curl behind her ear. She turns over toward the bedside table and gets out two breath mints. Popping one in her mouth, she hands me the other. I place it on my tongue and she smiles and reaches up to kiss me. I pull her closer and kiss her with everything I feel right now. She shivers and pulls back to look at me. Her fingers tentatively reach up and lightly move over my cheek.

"Sometimes, I dream you aren't real and when I wake up, all of this will be gone." she says quietly, tracing over my face and lips.

"I'm not going anywhere, Clary. Ever. I love you." I say staring straight into her eyes.

"I haven't told my mom about you. She's going to want to meet you soon." she says looking a little worried.

"I would love to meet your mom and dad. Why do you look so worried?" I ask tracing her cheekbones delicately.

"I didn't know if you were comfortable with that yet. I mean, this is new for you to be in a relationship, and to be meeting my parents, that makes it seem really serious. I just didn't know how you would feel about that." she says turning slightly pink.

"I am serious about the way I feel about you. This is new for both of us, but I want this more than anything. I want you more than anything. I'm ready to meet them and show them how much I love you."

"Really? You'll do that for me?" she asks uncertainty in her voice, but a smile spreading across her face.

"I'll do it for us, for this." I say gesturing between us. She smiles brightly and kisses me softly.

"Have you told your parents yet?" she asks me sweetly.

"Yes, they know all about you. Maryse knew when we were at the beach house together. Do you remember the day she came into the music room, when we sang together at the piano?" Her blush tells me she remembered that day well. "Well she told me then she could tell how special you were and the changes in me were for the better because of you." I cup her face and kiss her deeply. Her body responds and she reaches around my neck and winds her hands in my hair. I can't help the groan that escapes because damn that feels good.

A knock on the door interrupts us and we both let out a low groan.

"Clary, you better get up before Jon comes to get you. He's feeling a little anxious right now." Isabelle calls from the other side of the door. I look at Clary and watch her eyes widen and then they turn to me.

"Um, we better get up. He'd shit if he saw us lying here naked." she says and turns to get up but stops and looks back at me, her face flaming. "Can you uh maybe turn your head so I can get dressed?"

I chuckle and pull her face down to place a kiss to her lips. "Baby, I've seen you already. There's no need to be shy around me. Besides, I'll be seeing you naked again soon." I say in a low voice, causing her to shiver involuntarily. I flash a grin and she smirks back.

"You're right." She throws the covers off and stands up, walking over to her bag and bending over looking through it to find something to wear. _Damn! _I feel a hard-on coming on from watching her bend over like that. I get up and walk over to her and place a kiss on her shoulder.

"You have no idea what you do to me." I say and pull on some boxers and shorts. I rummage through my bag for a clean shirt and pull it over my head. When Clary is dressed, we go to the bathroom and brush our teeth and Clary braids her long red hair. We walk downstairs hand in hand. Jon and Isabelle are in the kitchen drinking coffee. When Jon sees us, his eyes are guarded. Clary notices this and walks over to him and kisses his cheek. She gives him an adorable look and to my surprise, Jon caves at once and hugs her to him. She has him wrapped just like she has me. I don't know of anyone who can deny this girl anything.

"Morning, dew drop."

Morning, Jon. What's got you so anxious?" she asks him sweetly. Jon glances over at me and back to Clary.

"I'm a little uncomfortable with the sleeping arrangements. You and Jace in the same bed, I don't know. . . . You're too innocent, berry."

Clary turns bright red, almost the same color as her hair. "I'm not as innocent as you think, Jon. And it's none of your business." she says, glaring at him. Jon whips his head toward me with anger.

"You already took her! I'm going to beat the – "

"JON! Jesus! Jace did not take anything. I lost it to Sebastian Verlac in the eleventh grade!" Clary yells.

Jon looks at Clary in shock. "What? You let that piece of shit do that to you? Why? Why would you let him?"

Clary looks down at her feet and says "He told me he had been in love with me since eighth grade and I guess I believed him. The next thing I knew, I found him sucking face with Seelie Courtland the next day behind the cafeteria. I know how stupid I was, you don't need to tell me."

"Oh, Clare-bear. I'm sorry. If I had known, I would've killed him." Then Jon looks over at me and says, "Sorry, Jace." I nod at him and take Clary in my arms and kiss her on the forehead. Isabelle moves to stand next to Jon and whispers something in his ear and he nods at her. I look down at Clary.

"The next time will be special. I'll make sure it is." I whisper in her ear. Without looking, I know she's blushing because I feel the heat coming off of her. She looks up at me and smiles.

"I can't wait." she says causing me to blush.

After breakfast, Clary wants to show me around, so we change into our bathing suits and shorts and tell Jon and Isabelle we'll meet them at the lake later.

o.O.o

I grab Jace's hand and take him first to the barn. The smell of hay greets me as I open the door. Everything has been moved out of the barn leaving a giant open space. Only the hay in the loft above remains. I flip the switch by the door and light floods the dark barn. I look around remembering playing in here as a child with Jon and Simon.

"There used to be a tire swing hanging right here. Simon and Jon would argue over who got to swing first, but I always beat them to it while they argued about it." I say smiling at the memory. Then I realize I just had a memory of Simon that didn't cause me tears. Maybe Jon was right. I'm slowly healing. I glance at Jace. He's staring at me like he's waiting for the waterworks to begin. I smile to reassure him that I'm okay. I pull him to the back of the barn and push him against the wall. My mouth crashes into his and he lets out a surprise sound. When I pull away, his eyes are wide but a dark golden color.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself." I say with a smirk. He grins back at me and pulls me back into him.

"Anytime, baby." he says and he kisses me again until my legs start to shake.

"Come on. There's more I want to show you." I say and leave the barn. We head to the woods. On the way, I point out the stable where we keep a few horses, including mine named Amatis. I find the trail easily enough even though it's overgrown since the last time I used it. We walk through the woods until we come to a clearing. Remnants of the old tree house and the surrounding forts are still visible.

"This was our hide-out. We would spend hours out here playing. One time Jon and I climbed one of these trees and hid from Simon. We watched him walk around in circles calling for us. Then we jumped down and scared him. He screamed like a girl." I tell him with a laugh.

I walk around the tress until I found the one we carved our initials in. Sadness grips me when I see JG, CG, and SL. I reach out with shaky fingers and touch the carvings, lingering on SL. I close my eyes and remember the day we did it.

"_You're gonna get it when Mom and Luke find out you took a knife out here." I say._

_ "__Not if you and Simon don't rat me out." Jon shoots back._

_ "__What'd you bring it for anyway?" Simon asks._

_ "__To carve our initials in this tree. When we're old, we'll come back here and remember this day." Jon says, carving a JG in the tree. He hands the knife to me and helps me carve a CG under his and passes it to Simon. He carves SL under mine._

_ "__These carvings show we'll be friends forever." I say smiling a gap-tooth smile._

_ "__Friends Forever" Jon and Simon say at the same time._

"Friends forever." I whisper. I feel warm arms wrap me up and pull me into a strong chest. I cling to him and cry softly. "I'm sorry." I say, my voice coming out muffled from being buried in Jace's chest.

"Shh. It's alright. It's alright." Jace says in a soothing voice, rubbing up and down my back. He kisses the top of my head. I look up at him with my chin resting on his chest. He gazes down at me and gives me a beautiful smile. He wipes my tears away with his thumb, stroking lightly along my cheekbones. "I love you, Clary." he says softly.

"I love you, too. I'm sorry for breaking down again. I do think I'm getting better though, and it's because of you. Thank you." I say honestly.

"Come on, let's go to the lake." he says and leads me out of the woods. When we get to the lake, Jon and Isabelle are already there but haven't gotten in yet. We walk out on the dock and Isabelle has laid out four towels and Jon has brought a cooler full of drinks and snacks.

"Hey guys." Jon says. "I'll race you to the rock, Cherry Drop." he says to me with a wicked grin. I smile back and take off my shorts. We get to the edge of the dock and bend over to dive in.

"On the count of three. One….two…." I dive in before he says three and take off swimming as fast as I can. I can hear Jon splashing behind me but he's gaining on me. I push myself as hard as I can and reach out and feel the rock. I pop up just as Jon comes up.

"I win!" I say breathing hard.

"You cheated!" he cries out. Jace and Isabelle are laughing at our childish argument.

"So, you're older." I say and stick my tongue out and lazily swim back to the dock. I'm floating on my back when I feel a pair of arms pull me upright. I wrap myself around Jace and smile brightly at him. He is my own personal sun. Without him, my days would be dark.

"Hi." I say.

"Hi. Do you know what I want to do right now?" he asks. I shake my head. "I really want to kiss you until I can't breathe, but your brother is right over there."

I look over at Jon. He has his arms around Isabelle and they're smiling at each other and laughing. She leans into him and they kiss. My gaze moves back to Jace and I smile a mischievous smile.

"He looks pretty occupied right now to me. Why don't you give it a go and see what happens." I say with a shrug. He smiles and leans towards me and pulls my bottom lip into his mouth. I gasp and he slides his tongue in and rubs it all around mine. Then I feel his fingers pull my bathing suit bottom aside and he pushes his fingers inside me. I jerk away from his mouth. He's looking at me with a look that makes the air leave my lungs. I continue to stare at him, fighting the urge to close my eyes or for them to roll back in my head. I lean my forehead on his and try to take steadying breaths. When I feel the tightening in my stomach, I bite my lip hard and ride it out as quiet as possible. When he's done, he kisses me and whispers in my ear. _God I love him!_

**_Well there it is. More to come from the lake house. Let me know what you think! I'll try to get another chapter out tomorrow, if not then Sunday for sure! _**

**_Until next time. . . . _**


	19. Chapter 18

_**I had hoped to get out another chapter today and I succeeded! This chapter is _! HA! You thought I was going to tell you. . . .You'll just have to read to find out what happens in this chapter! :) If you don't usually listen to the music I would suggest listening to the last song. I think it enhances the emotions during the reading. Just saying. . . .**_

_**Characters and music are owned by other people - not me!**_

**Chapter 18:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_The Weight of Us by Sanders Bohlke_

_Everything by Rob Blackledge_

_Heartache is a Cold Place by A Boy and His Kite_

I reach for the towel and wrap it around me. Stepping out of the shower, I notice a folded up piece of paper with my name on it. I pick it up and open it.

**_Go see Isabelle. She's waiting for you in her room. ~ Jace_**

I shake my head and peer out in the hall. I make my way down to Jon and Isabelle's room. I knock quietly and hear, "Come in." I open the door and see Isabelle sitting on the bed with a very pretty sundress. It's strapless and a dark green that almost looks black in some light. I raise both eyebrows and peer at her. She is trying very hard to contain her excitement and makes me even more confused.

"Isabelle, what is going on? Where's Jace?" I ask and watch her face carefully. Something flashes very quickly in her eyes. When she looks back at me, she has smoothed her face into an emotionless mask.

"He's around here somewhere. He asked me if I wanted to help you get dressed and of course I said yes!" she says emphatically. I narrow my eyes at her for a second and then shrug and sit down on the bed. Isabelle gets up and brings over her make-up bag. She immediately begins working on my face. We talk about girl things while she does my face and hair. She ends up braiding my hair like a crown around my face and leaving the rest down, the curls flowing down my back. Isabelle gives me a black strapless push-up bra and some teeny tiny black lace thongs. I stare at the thongs warily.

Isabelle leans down and says in a low voice, "You let Jace see those tonight and I guarantee he won't be able to stop himself." I shiver at the thought and put them on. I step into the dress and pull it up. Isabelle zips it up and hands me some black, open-toed strappy wedges. Just as I get the shoes on, I stand up and walk to the tall mirror. I gaze at myself and feel amazed at the image staring back at me.

_I actually look pretty._

"Of course you do. You're always pretty." Isabelle says to me.

_Did I say that out loud?_

Isabelle hands me some earrings and bracelets to put on and I leave the necklace on that Jace gave me at the beach. I look back at myself and Isabelle gives me another piece of paper. I unfold it, reading what it says.

**_Go to the kitchen, look under the sink and get the vase with a red ribbon._**

I look at Isabelle. She just shrugs so I walk out and head downstairs to the kitchen. I go to the sink and open the cabinet. I see the vase with the red ribbon. I pull it out and another note is attached to it.

**_Take this vase to the barn._**

I shake my head and smile. _What is he doing?_ I walk out the door and walk across the yard to the barn. On the door is another note.

_**Open the door and turn on the lights. A surprise is waiting for you.**_

I walk in and run my hands up the wall until I find the switch. As the barn fills with light, I gasp. Jace has covered the barn in twinkling white lights and in the back is a table with a white table cloth, two place settings on it. I walk in further and set the vase down on the table. My mouth hangs open as I look at what this amazing man has done. Just then, Jace moves out of the shadows under the loft. He is holding the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen. He smiles a gorgeous smile and I realize right then how incredibly lucky I am that he seems to love me. Tears fill my eyes and I blink so I can see him clearly. His smile falters and he rushes to me and cups my face wiping the tears that escaped my eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

I shake my head and smile through my tears. "Nothing at all. No one has ever done anything like this for me before. Ever. Oh my God….I'm just so….so lucky. Thank you." I say holding onto his wrists. His face softens and he kisses me sweetly on the lips.

"I'm the lucky one. I love you so much." he whispers. He wraps his arm around my waist and we just simply hug for a few minutes, holding each other close. Then he pulls the chair out for me to sit down. I sit and he grabs the flowers he put down and holds them out to me. They are white peonies, my favorite. I smile and take them, smelling the sweet fragrance. I place them in the vase and look at Jace.

"How did you know those are my favorite? And how did you do all of this? We were just here earlier and it didn't look like this." I ask with amazement. He chuckles softly and gently strokes my cheek.

"I had some help. Jon told me about the flowers and thankfully there were some growing here. Isabelle and Jon decorated the barn while you were showing me around today. I told them what I wanted to do and they were happy to help. I want this night to be special for you." he says and my heart skips a beat at what else he might have planned. He gets up and goes in the back and brings out our dinner. It consists of grilled cheese sandwiches, apple slices, and chocolate strawberries. I laugh at the "fancy" meal he made.

"This is perfect." I say as I bite into a sandwich. He laughs and begins eating his. After we eat, he turns on an IPod that I never noticed was there. A song comes through the speakers and he walks over and offers me his hand. I place my hand in his and he pulls me up and into his arms. He spins me around causing me to giggle. Then he holds me closer and I rest my head on his chest and breathe him in. We sway to the music together. I feel his hands run down my back and up into my hair. He gazes down at me and lifts my face up. My breath catches at the amount of love radiating from his eyes.

"You look so beautiful. You always do, but tonight, you look just like an angel. Like my angel." he says staring into my eyes.

"Jace. . . ." I whisper and he presses his lips to mine. We kiss passionately until neither one of us can breathe right. My hands brush down his neck and shoulders. My eyes follow their progress. I rest them on his chest right over his heart. It's beating rapidly. I take a deep, shaky breath and look back up into his eyes. They bore right into mine. I can feel the charge in the air. Heat surrounds me everywhere he touches me. I almost feel disoriented. I move my hands back up around his neck and into his hair. Jace's arms circle my waist and he pulls me flush against him. One hand moving up into my hair. He seems to like my hair as much as I like his.

Our bodies fit perfectly together, like two puzzle pieces that have finally found each other. Right now, looking at Jace, I know with absolute certainty, he will be the only man I will truly love with all my heart and soul. I feel it in every square inch of my body. With the way Jace is looking back at me, I would have to say he feels exactly the same way. I don't know why he does and I will probably never understand it, but he does. Right in this moment, he does. I can feel it in every touch, see it in every look. It is unquestionably the best feeling in the world.

After some time of getting lost in each other's eyes, Jace begins kissing me. At first it's just small kisses to my lips. One, two, three kisses, and then he moves across my jaw to my ear and places a small kiss just behind my ear, causing my body to erupt in goosebumps. He continues with these small kisses down my neck to my collarbone and across to my shoulder and back up. When he gets back to my mouth, he doesn't hold back any longer. This kiss turns desperate. He kisses me like he needs air to breathe. I open immediately and rise on my tip toes to get better access. Jace realizes what I'm doing and picks me up. My legs wrap around his waist at once. I feel light-headed, but there's no way I want to stop this now.

Jace carries me to the back room of the barn, never breaking our kisses. He sets me down on my feet and pulls away. I look around and gasp, my hand coming to my mouth. One strand of twinkling lights shine, giving the room a soft glow. On the floor are two or three down comforters piled together to make a bed with giant fluffy pillows. I feel my face heat and then cool hands touching my face. I look up at him through my eyelashes and bite my lip. He groans and kisses me hard.

"I've told you not to bite your lip like that. I can't take it. It makes me want to be the one biting it." he says staring at my mouth. I smile and take his hand and pull him to the makeshift bed. I lie down and he slides up beside me. We lie there just holding each other for a few minutes. While lying there, I decide to be the one to start things. I know he worries about me being ready and it being the right time and all, but I'm ready now.

I slowly rub down his chest and abs and back up. I get to the top button of his shirt and begin to unbutton them with shaky fingers. Once it's unbuttoned, I push it off his shoulders, rubbing down his muscular arms, reveling in their beauty. I lean forward and place a kiss on his chest just over his heart and close my eyes. His hands roam over my body and get to the zipper on the back of my dress. He pauses and looks down at me. I reach up and kiss him to show him that I want this. His hands move slowly down my back, bringing the zipper with them. He pulls the dress off of me and I lie there in the strapless bra and thongs Isabelle had given me to wear earlier. As I gaze into his eyes, I watch them turn to dark gold. They look almost black with desire.

I sit up and push him down on the pillows. I sit on my knees and begin working on his pants. I pull them all the way off of him and crawl back up his body. His chest is rising and falling in quick, fast breaths. I smile at the reaction I'm getting from him. His hands come to my hips and squeeze. For a second, we just stare at each other, and then he flips me over and hovers above me and kisses me like he's afraid I might disappear. He reaches behind my back and unhooks the bra and pulls it away from my breasts and takes one in his mouth making me moan loudly. His hands are all over me and I'm slightly embarrassed at the noises coming from me, but it feels too good to care that much about it. When he slips his fingers in my panties, I gasp. He pulls them down my legs, kissing and sucking along the way.

I reach down and hook my thumbs in his boxers and begin to pull them down as far as I can reach. He feels my struggles and takes them off the rest of the way. When we are completely naked, we gaze at each other for a moment, his eyes questioning me. I pull his mouth down on mine and kiss him with every ounce of love, want, and desire I can, hoping he'll understand how much I need this.

Jace reaches behind him and I hear a crinkling sound. I watch as he slides the condom down his length. He pulls my leg up by the back of my knee and settles in between them. With one more look at me for confirmation, he thrusts into me slowly causing us both to groan in pleasure. His gaze never leaving mine, he rocks us back and forth bringing every nerve ending to life inside of me. My eyes close from feeling so many sensations at once.

"Open your eyes, baby." Jace says breathless and hoarse with desire.

I instantly open them to find him staring at me. We never look away from each as we ride out wave after wave of longing. My breathing becomes erratic and my head starts to spin. And then an explosion goes off inside me, or that's what it feels like to me. Jace's movements become more frantic and then a tremor shoots through him and he slumps forward, burying his head in the crook of my neck, breathing heavily. Every now and then I feel him kiss me lightly on the neck, skimming his nose along the curve of my neck and shoulder.

When both of us are breathing easier, he sits up on his elbows and smiles down at me. I smile back and kiss him gently on the lips, while my fingers trace over his face. We lie there, holding each other tightly. The next few hours we spend talking and laughing and reveling in the amazing feeling that both of us share. Long after dark, Jace and I leave the barn that now houses new and incredible memories, and go back to the house to go to bed. I fall asleep lying on Jace's bare chest listening to his heartbeat.

_**So there you have it. They finally did the deed. So how was it? Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. Hope it wasn't too disappointing!**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	20. Chapter 19

_**Thanks people for all the love and support you've thrown my way! I was so nervous the last few chapters with the lemons and you all seem to like what I wrote - so yay! **_

_**We get some girl time in this chapter and opening up about pasts. So enjoy!**_

_**These characters, as wonderful as they are, are not mine nor is the music - pooh! :(**_

**Chapter 19:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Crazy by Aerosmith_

_Hiding My Heart by Brandi Carlile_

_No One's Gonna Love You by Band of Horses_

_Arms by Christina Perry_

JPOV

I wake up to a cold bed. Reaching out for Clary, I feel something stiff. I open my eyes and pick up the folded piece of paper on Clary's pillow. I open it and read what it says.

_**I'm going down to the stables for an early ride. If you wake up before I get back, come down there. I would've woken you up, but you looked too adorable sleeping. I love you! ~ Clary**_

I smile at her saying 'I love you' even though she's said it before. I'll never get tired of her saying that to me. I think back to the night before. That was the most intense experience I have ever had. It truly is different when you're with someone you love. I'll never want anyone else. I will spend the rest of my life with Clary and making love to her every chance I get. I look at the clock and see it's barely 7 am. _Why in the world is she up so early?_ I shrug and stretch my long limbs before rolling out of bed and getting dressed. I quietly slip downstairs and out the door, walking to the stables.

When I get there, I'm struck again by how beautiful she is. Clary is riding on top of a huge blonde horse. She looks so small on top of it, but she has no trouble riding it. The way she moves while riding makes my mouth water. She absolutely drives me crazy. No other girl has ever made me want to be with them every minute of the day. But with Clary, I would be completely content to be touching her and looking at her all day long, every day.

She notices me watching her and trots over to the fence and stops right beside me.

"Hi." she says smiling widely.

"Hi. You look amazing riding like that." I say with a grin. "You think you could try that on me later?" I ask wagging my eyebrows up and down. She giggles and leans down toward me. I climb on the fence to get closer to her.

"Maybe….You'll just have to be a good boy and we'll see." she says in a husky voice and kisses me softly on my lips. I reach behind her head to keep her there longer and continue kissing her. A small moan escapes her lips and she pulls away with a lazy smile.

"Mmmm. . . .I don't think I'll ever get used to your kisses." she says as she slides off of her horse.

Taking the reins, she leads the horse into the stables. I follow along beside her and watch as she expertly works on the saddle.

"How long have you been riding? You seem to be pretty comfortable around horses." I comment as she swings the saddle off and hangs it up. It looks like it weighs as much as she does.

She smiles at me as she goes back to the horse to take off the blanket on its back. "I've been riding ever since I was little. Luke got me Amatis when I was 14, so we're used to each other by now."

"Luke is your stepfather?" I ask. We haven't really discussed each other's family much since we got together.

She nods her head. "Mmhmm. My mom married him when I was three. Jon and I go by Garroway since he's the only dad we've ever known." she says with a small smile. Turning to me, she says, "Luke is the best dad. We're so lucky to have him."

I smile at the love she has for him and I'm so glad she has a good family. She continues taking care of the horse, brushing its back.

"What about your real father? Do you ever see him?"

"No. I don't remember him at all. My mom doesn't like to talk about him. One time, Jon and I overheard her and Luke talking about him. From what we could tell, he wasn't a very good person." she says cleaning up the stall. She turns to look at me and raises her eyebrows.

"What about you? You said the Lightwood's adopted you when you were seven. What happened if you don't mind me asking."

I tense for a second, then remember this girl is the one for me and I can tell her anything. I take a deep breath and glance over at her. She's studying me. "My parents were killed in a home invasion. My father was a prosecutor and was working a high profile case. The investigators thought it was related to the case. I came home from my neighbor's house and found them. Maryse was friends with my mom, so she fought to get me and here I am."

Clary looks at me, not with pity but with love. She walks up to me and reaches up to cup my face with her small hands. "No one should have to go through something like that. You are so strong and I'm proud of who you've become and I know your parents are too." she says firmly. I stare into her eyes in awe. How can this small girl make me feel so much? It amazes me how I can love her more and more each day. I cradle her face and press her face to mine and kiss her. I kiss her with the awe I feel for her, the love that grows every single day, and the hope that she will be mine forever.

When she pulls back, I feel something on my cheek. She reaches up and wipes it with her fingers. I realize she just wiped a tear. I haven't shed a tear since my parents were buried. I look at her with my eyes wide and bury my face in her neck and hold her tight. She wraps her arms around me and rubs her hands through my hair and whispers in my ear. Three simple words that mean so much.

"I love you."

o.O.o

Jace and I spend the rest of the day lounging around being lazy. We never get too far away from each other that we can't touch. Something changed between us. Everything feels stronger now. I don't know if it's because of last night or this morning after opening up to each other. Either way, I feel closer to Jace than I thought possible.

Isabelle and Jon joined us on and off all day. They just came in from the lake and sit down in the living room where we were. Jon looks at me and studies me for a second and then looks at Jace. I furrow my brows at Isabelle but she just shrugs.

"Jon? Is something wrong?" I ask.

"I was just wondering if you would want to leave earlier tomorrow and stop by mom and Luke's on the way home?" he says eyeing me carefully. I feel my face heat up and I quickly glance at Jace. He's watching me and he smiles an encouraging smile. I face my brother and say, "I think it's a great idea, Jon. I would love for mom and Luke to meet Jace." I then turn to Jace and grip his hand harder and say, "He means everything to me." Jace smiles warmly at me and I lean in to kiss him chastely.

We all go back to watching TV and after a little while, Jon and Jace get up to make lunch for all of us. Isabelle comes over to sit beside me and puts her arm around my shoulders.

"So, I haven't gotten you alone today to find out how last night went." she says curiously. I instantly heat up thinking about our love-making. She sees my blush and her hand flies to her mouth and she gasps softly. I can't help the smile spreading on my face.

"It was by far the best night of my life. I don't know if my heart can fit any more love in it. It already feels like it's ready to burst." I say smiling with happiness.

Isabelle smiles brightly at me and then turns serious. "He was good to you, wasn't he? He may be my brother, but you are my best friend, Clary and I wouldn't hesitate to junk punch him for you." she says gripping my shoulders.

I laugh and pull her hands off of my shoulders and hold them in mine. "He was incredibly good to me. I don't think it could've been better than that. The feelings are so much more intense when it's with someone you love." I say with certainty.

Isabelle looks at me wistfully. "I'll have to take your word for it. I've never been in love before." she says a little sadly.

"Have you and Jon….you know….done it?" I ask trying not to remember I'm talking about my brother.

She shakes her head. "No, not all the way."

"Do you think you might love him one day?"

She looks down and averts my eyes for a second before looking back at me. "I think I might be falling for him already. But I don't think it would be the same as you and Jace. There's something big between you. Something deep. The kind in movies."

I roll my eyes and snort. "Come on Isabelle. You know movie love doesn't exist." We laugh and then we are being called to the kitchen for lunch. We get up and Isabelle wraps her arm around my waist and I do the same. "You'll see, Clary. Mark my words." she says as I just shake my head, but really thinking she may be right. There is something deep between us.

We walk in and I go to sit at the table next to Jace. He glances at me and smiles. I smile back and begin eating, stealing glances at him every now and then. I wonder how this relationship will play out. As I picture different scenarios about us in my head, I notice everyone is laughing. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and notice they are all staring at me amused.

"What?" I ask, looking at each of them.

They laugh harder and Jon says, "We lost you, Clary-berry. What were you thinking about so intently?"

Turning as red as a tomato, I look at Jace and shake my head. "Um, I don't know. Just spaced out I guess. You know me, always drifting." I say with a one shoulder shrug. Jace leans over and kisses me on the temple. He smiles warmly at me. I give a small smile and focus on my food. I feel his eyes on me, but I don't look up. When lunch is over, Isabelle and I clean up and head out to find the boys. They're at the stables. I walk in and Jace quickly comes over to me and scoops me up in a hug. He presses his lips to mine before setting me down on the ground again.

"What was that for?" I ask with a giggle.

"Nothing. I just missed you." he says sweetly.

I roll my eyes as Jon brings out his horse, Hodge, a big black horse with a white stripe down his nose. "Isabelle and I are going to ride Hodge. Jace you can ride Greymark, Luke's horse. I'm sure Clary wants to ride her own horse." Jon says pointing Jace to Greymark's stall. I go with Jace to help him get the horse ready to ride. I show Jace how to put on the saddle and the bridle. As we get Amatis ready, Jace breaks the silence.

"Are you okay?"

I look at him confused. "Yeah. Why?"

"At lunch, you seemed a little upset about something. Did I do something to upset you?" he asks quietly, looking into my eyes.

"God no. You're perfect. I wasn't upset. I was embarrassed." I say looking back to my horse and securing the straps. I feel him move close to me and tug on my arm to turn me around to face him.

"Why were you embarrassed?"

I look up into his eyes and get lost in them. "When Jon asked me what I was thinking about, I got embarrassed because I was thinking about you." I whisper.

The corners of his mouth turn up. "What about me?"

"Well, you see that's where the embarrassing part comes in." I say and feel my face flush. "I was thinking about us and our future together. Not that I'm trying to imply anything or move things faster, it was just an errant thought. Nothing to get worked up about." I say in a rush.

He cups my face and leans down to look into my eyes. "Clary….I think about our future all the time. I'm glad you do, too. I do want a future with you. But I should probably meet your parents first." he says with an amused smile.

"Well you'll get to tomorrow. Are you ready to ride?" I ask snaking my arms around his waist and squeezing him to me. He reciprocates and then we lead Amatis and Greymark out of the stable and climb on and walk slowly beside each other. We leisurely walk through the trails on the property and talk about anything and everything. Eventually, we meet up with Jon and Isabelle. They both look so happy. I study Jon to see if I can tell the depth of his feeling s for her. I haven't ever seen him be so attentive to a girl before. He's had loads of girls in high school and never before has he been this way with any of them. I hope Isabelle gets her 'movie love' as she called it. She deserves it.

As the sun sets, we walk our horses back to the stables and rub down the horses and feed them for the night. We all head to the house to make sandwiches for dinner instead of cooking anything. After we eat, Isabelle and Jon head up to shower and do whatever it is they do.

I look at Jace and he raises an eyebrow at me.

"What?" I ask narrowing my eyes at him.

He walks up to me and pulls me close and kisses me softly. "What do you say about going for a swim with me?" he asks in my ear. I shiver and smile.

"I would love to, but I don't feel like changing into a bathing suit right now. I guess I'll have to improvise." I say with a smirk. A wide smile covers his face as he grabs at me.

"Let's go!" he says and pulls me to the lake. Once on the dock, we start stripping our clothes off, laughing the whole time and jump in. Jace swims towards me and I yelp and swim away from him. Then his strong arms catch me around the waist and he pulls me in, my back to his chest. He begins kissing my neck and shoulders. I lean my head back against his shoulder so he can have better access. Turning my head, I capture his mouth in a mind-blowing sideways kiss. Jace turns me around so I'm facing him and his tongue plunges in my mouth. We both pull back and look into each other's eyes for a second, before both of us take off for the dock and scramble out of the water and throwing on our clothes. We rush inside and up the stairs to the bathroom, where we thoroughly enjoy a steamy hot shower together.

_**Ah, why can't we all have movie love, huh? Lemons were left to the imagination this time, sorry! :) Who thinks Jon is in love too? I just love him. . . **_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	21. Chapter 20

_**Almost 200 reviews - I cannot believe it! :) Thanks people! You are all awesome and I love you - yep I do! So this chapter goes back home (BYE Lake house) and Jace and Isabelle get to meet the parents - ooohhh...**_

_**You know what's mine and what's not by now I hope! :)**_

**Chapter 20:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_You and Me by Lifehouse_

_Comes and Goes (in waves) by Greg Laswell_

_Distance by Christina Perry_

_Never Say Never by The Fray_

Today, Jace will be meeting my parents. I hope it goes well. I know Luke will be fine; it's my mother I'm more concerned with. She's very overprotective with me for some reason. Jon says it's because I'm a girl and that I'm tiny. _GRRR!_ I hate when people think things about me because of my size. I look over at Jace and stare at him while he sleeps blissfully beside me. Letting out a sigh, I reach over and gently trace his cheekbones with the tips of my fingers. His eyes slowly open and a smile stretches across his face.

"Morning, beautiful." he says, tucking a curl behind my ear.

"Morning." I say back with a smile of my own. We stare into each other's eyes for a few minutes and I let out a sigh again. Jace furrows his eyebrows.

"What is it baby?" he asks with concern.

I shake my head and say, "I'm going to miss waking up next to you."

His eyes soften and he cups my face. "I know. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep by myself now. I've gotten used to holding you. I'll tell you what….If either of us has a problem sleeping, we'll go to each other for help." he says smiling mischievously.

"I like that idea very much. You have a deal Mr. Wayland." I say with a grin. He comes closer and kisses me and soon it becomes more passionate. Our bodies tangle together and Jace quickly places a condom on and enters me. I let out a low moan, trying to keep quiet since my brother is nearby. Jace never stops kissing me. My lips, jaw, neck, chest, breasts….anything he can get his mouth on. My hands roam over his hard, chiseled body. _Dear God, he is absolutely perfect. _ I can feel Jace ready to let loose and he reaches in between us and rubs furiously between my legs. I feel myself come undone at the same time as Jace. Every time, it makes me feel faint, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Jace collapses beside me and I curl up in his side and rest my head on his chest right over his heart, listening to it beat frantically. I smile because this is the best sound in the world to me.

We lie in bed for another hour just holding each other and Jace whispering his love for me. I never want to move out of this spot, but unfortunately, we are leaving today and seeing my parents. Jace and I get up and get dressed, packing the rest of our stuff. Jace takes our bags downstairs and drops them by the door. Jon and Isabelle are nowhere to be found so Jace and I grab some granola bars and walk outside. I want to say goodbye to Amatis, so we head in the direction of the stables. On the way, I see a sight that makes me smile. Jon and Isabelle in a tight embrace smiling at each other with love and adoration. It's the same look, Jace gives me for whatever reason. I nudge Jace and lift my chin in their direction. Jace looks and smiles turning back to me.

"I think they've found each other." I say smiling at the thought of my brother finally being in love and serious about someone. And that someone is also my best friend and sister of my boyfriend.

"Aha! If Jon and Isabelle get married, she'll be my sister!" I say happily.

Jace puts him arm around my waist and gets closer. "She'll be your sister one way or another, whether it's if they get married or when we do." he says in my ear.

I shiver and didn't miss the fact that he said 'when we do' not "if". I smile and sigh inwardly. _He wants to marry me!_

We get to the stables and I feed Amatis and brush her telling her I'll miss her. Then I do the same with Greymark and finally Hodge. Leaving the stables, we bump into Jon and Isabelle. I smile at Isabelle and wink at her. They both have permanent grins on their faces. The four of us are sickening. It's good no one else came with us or they'd be throwing up.

Jon and Jace load the bags while Isabelle and I clean the house up. I decide to find out exactly what has made Isabelle so happy.

"So….Anything exciting happen last night?" I ask nonchalantly. I see Isabelle blush slightly and turn to me.

"Not last night." she says shaking her head. "This morning when we woke up, he told me 'he thinks he's falling in love with me'."

"Well, and what did you say to that?"

"I said I think I am too and we kissed until we couldn't breathe." she says dreamily.

I smile and hug her. "You know I always wanted a sister. Now it looks like I'll be getting one!"

Isabelle hugs me back with a radiant smile and says, "I hope so."

At noon, we all get in the car and head to my parents' house. The closer we get, the more nervous I get. My leg keeps bouncing up and down in a jittery motion. Jace places a hand on my knee to keep it from bouncing. I peer at him and he smiles reassuringly. "I love you, Clary. Nothing will change that. Please calm down." he says in a low voice. I nod my head, unable to talk. Jon looks at us in the rear view mirror.

"Jesus, Cherry. There's nothing to worry about. Everything will be fine and I'll be there with you." he says trying to make me feel better.

"I know, it's just, you know how mom is. She thinks I'm still eight years old or something." I say rolling my eyes.

"Probably because you haven't grown since you were eight years old." Jon says with a laugh.

"Hey!" I yell and slap him on the back of the head.

"Ow" Jon says rubbing the back of his head. "Easy dew drop, I was just kidding. Jeez." he says and grabs Isabelle's hand as she tries to hide her grin. Jace is also laughing quietly. I snuggle closer to him and lay my head on his shoulder. I feel his lips on the top of my head and I begin to calm slightly. Then Jon pulls on our old street and I begin to feel anxious again. We stop on the curb in front of my old house. I haven't been here since Jon came to get me to move with him. The house looks different to me now. I don't know if it's because I have changed or what. I feel Jace pull me out of the car with him and he wraps his arm around my waist and whispers in my ear. Six little words that give me the strength to walk to the door.

_"__No matter what, I love you."_

Jon knocks on the door and opens it bringing Isabelle in with him. I hesitate just outside and glance at Jace. I smile and take a deep breath and walk in holding Jace's hand tightly.

"Mom! Luke! We're here!" Jon calls out. A second later, my mom and Luke rush in and grab us both in a bear hug.

"My goodness, I have missed both of you so much!" mom says to us after releasing us. She steps back and Luke puts his arm around her, smiling at all of us.

Jon glances at me and turns to our parents and says, "Mom, Luke, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Isabelle."

My mom looks at Isabelle sweetly and hugs her. I widen my eyes and so does Isabelle when she looks at me, but she hugs my mother back and smiles back at her. "It's so good to meet you both." she says and steps back to Jon and grabs his hand. Luke nods his head and smiles, saying it's nice to meet her too.

Then they both look at me expectantly. Jon looks at me and clears his throat and gives me a nod in our parents' direction. I take a deep breath and face my parents.

"Mom…." my voice cracks and I clear it and try again. "Mom, Luke, this is my b-boyfriend, Jace." I say quietly. I stare at my mom and try to tell what she thinks, but she does the exact opposite of what I thought she would do. She beams at him and pulls him in for a hug and Luke shakes his hand heartily.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. & Mrs. Garroway." Jace says after letting go of my mother.

"Please call us Jocelyn and Luke. Both of you." mom says to Jace and Isabelle. Everyone relaxes and goes into the living room to talk.

"So, you two are brother and sister?" mom asks Jace and Isabelle.

"Yes, ma'm. We are." Jace says taking the seat next to me and holding my hand. After a little small talk, mom stands to make dinner.

"Clary? Would you and Isabelle like to help me in the kitchen?" mom asks. I nod and stand up squeezing Jace's hand as I go. Isabelle follows me in the kitchen. We set to work and mom is silent for a while and then she starts the questions.

"So, Clary, how did you meet Jace?" she asks casually.

_Here we go…._

"He lives next door to Jon with his brother Alec. Jon introduced us the day after I moved in and Jace introduced me to Isabelle so I would have a girl to hang out with and then in turn she met Jon." I say shrugging my shoulders.

"I see. Well, I think it's wonderful you both have met someone. I worried about you for so long, baby. I see in your eyes that he means a lot to you. I can also see the same look in Jon's." she says glancing at Isabelle with a smile. Isabelle blushes and smiles back. I look at my mother. _Is she for real? Is she really happy that I'm dating? No third degree, no overprotective speech, nothing? Huh…._ Maybe I worried for nothing. I smile and go back to cutting the vegetables.

Dinner was great, and after, Jon and I tell our parents good-bye. As we walk out the door, mom hugs Isabelle and then Jace, whispering something to both of them. When we get in the car, I furrow my eyebrows at them.

"What did she say to you?" I ask as Jon looks quizzically at Isabelle.

"She said 'thank you'", Jace says grinning at me. Jon starts the car with a smile and we head home. Jon drops us off first, before taking Isabelle home to grab some more clothes so she can spend the night.

We walk up to our apartments and pause at the doors. I look up at Jace, not sure what to do. I knew coming home would be different after what we shared at the lake house, but I didn't know it would feel like ripping an arm off to be away from him. I know we have to separate eventually but I'm not ready yet. Jace looks down at me and I see in his eyes the same thing that must be showing in mine.

"What now?" I ask hoping he has some answers.

"I don't know." he says rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want to leave you yet. Is that pathetic?" he asks looking at me sheepish.

"If it is, then I'm pathetic too. I don't want to leave you either. Can you come in for a while and then we'll figure out the rest?" I ask timidly.

"Okay." he says and I turn to open the door. We get inside and I take my bag to my room with Jace following. I sit on the bed and he sits beside me. I fidget with my fingers nervously and he puts a hand on them. I peer at him and see he's struggling with something. He turns to me and brings my hand up to his lips, kissing it softly.

"Clary, you know this morning when we were talking about helping each other out when we couldn't sleep?"

I nod and he continues. "Well, I'm having trouble and we're not even sleeping right now. After everything this weekend, I don't know if I can go back to just seeing you a little each day and going back to my apartment each night. I'm not saying we need to move into together yet, but I want to be with you every minute that I can. I guess what I'm trying to say is, can we just stay together every night either here or at my place, so I can fall asleep next to you and wake up with you every morning?" he asks in a rush. I can't hold back the smile that stretches across my face. I launch myself at him and he falls back on the bed with me on top of him. I kiss him hungrily and he returns the affection. When I break away, I smile down at him and kiss him one more time.

"Is that a yes?" he asks with amusement and relief in his voice.

"Of course it's a yes! Why don't we take your bag to your apartment and unpack it and grab you some clothes to spend the night with me tonight?" I ask as I climb off of him. He smiles and picks me up and carries me out the door to his apartment.

That night I fall asleep, after blissfully making love, lying next to the man I hope to spend the rest of my life with.

_**Happy days! Are they going to continue? Who knows. . . . **_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	22. Chapter 21

_**Happy Freakin' Friday lovies! Was this week as long for anyone else as it was for me? Anyway - Chapter 21 on the way! I really hope you like it. For some reason I'm a little worried about it. So enjoy (hopefully)!**_

_**I do not own anything except the plot! :)**_

**Chapter 21:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_I Need You by M83_

_Crooked Teeth by Death Cab for Cutie_

_Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran_

_Holding on and Letting Go by Ross Copperman_

The last few weeks, Jace and I have been inseparable. He stays with me every night or I stay with him; one or the other. He started his new job this week and I'm all alone each day until someone gets home from work. I really need to find a job. I can't keep living off Jon. Speaking of living off Jon, I heave myself up off the couch and grab the money he left for me and head out to the grocery store. As I walk back home, a painting in a window catches my eye. It's an art gallery. I walk in and a lady behind a desk stands up and walks over to me.

"Welcome. How may I help you?" she asks me.

"Um, I was just walking by and was curious." I say smiling looking around at all the paintings done by different artists.

"Are you into art?" she asks.

"I like to draw and occasionally I paint." I pull my sketchpad out of my bag and show her some of my drawings. She takes it and flips through the pages. She looks at me squinting her eyes and cocks her head to the side. I have no idea what she's doing. She hands me my sketchpad and I put it back in my bag.

"You are really talented. Would you be interested in a job?" she asks me with a smile.

"What kind of job?"

"Working here, answering phones, booking shows, selling paintings and things like that. I'll even display some of your work in here and get your name out in the art world."

My hand flies to my mouth. "Are you serious? Yes, I would love that." I say with barely contained excitement.

"Perfect. Can you start Monday?"

"Yes, I can. Thank you so much, Ms. um, I didn't get your name." I say shaking her hand.

"Please call me Libby, Libby Nightshade. And you are?"

"Clary Garroway."

"Well, Clary I'll see you on Monday and bring something you would like displayed when you come."

I leave and practically run all the way home. I decide to make a special dinner tonight. I'm so excited to tell Jon and Jace my news. I want to call Jace but I know he's busy and I wouldn't want him to get in trouble. I text Isabelle and tell her to come over for dinner. She texts back and says she'll be over later.

Just as I take out the lasagna, I hear the front door open and warm arms around me. I turn in his arms and press my lips to his. _Oh, how I love kissing him._

"Hi." I say breathlessly.

"Hi, baby." he smiles down at me and kisses me chastely.

"I missed you today." I say rubbing my hands down his chest. He shivers slightly and grins.

"Mmmm, I missed you, too."

The door opens and in walks Jon. I detach myself from Jace and run up to Jon and fling my arms around him.

"Whoa there berry! What's up with you?" Jon asks surprised by my exuberant greeting.

"Can't I just be happy to see my brother?" I ask him innocently.

"Of course you can Cherry drop. I'm happy to see you too." he says ruffling my hair. I begin to set the table while Jace and Jon talk together. Isabelle arrives and we all go to sit down at the table. After everyone sits, I stand in front of the table.

"I have some exciting news." I say bouncing on the balls of my feet and smiling.

"I got a job today and I start Monday."

"That is exciting news. As long as you're not stripping." Jon says smiling at me, Isabelle smacks his arm.

"Jon, we've already gone over this. No one would want to see that." I say with my hands on my hips.

Jace coughs and says something under his breath that sounded like 'I would'. I shoot him a look and he looks down smiling.

"Anyway, that's not the best part. I'll be working in an art gallery and I get to display some of my drawings and get my name out." I say enthusiastically.

Jace stands up and hugs me to his chest. "That's wonderful. Congratulations." he says and kisses me. Jon then hugs me and says, "I'm proud of you Clare-bear." while Isabelle hugs me and congratulates me too. After the hugs, we sit down and enjoy our dinner. Right now, I love my life. The only thing that would make this better is if Simon could be here to celebrate with me. I know he's smiling down on me right now. I smile thinking about that.

After we eat, Jace and I go to my room and I start looking through my drawings and try to find one I would like displayed in the gallery.

"Hmmm. I can't decide which one to display." I say and look to Jace for help. He's watching me with a smile on his gorgeous lips.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask, the corners of my lips turning up.

"You're beautiful. I just can't stop looking at you." he says completely serious.

"You may be a little biased on that. Could you please help me decide which one to take Monday?"

"I might be persuaded to help for a kiss." he says with a cheeky smile.

I roll my eyes, but lean closer and kiss him right on the tip of his nose. Giggling, I pull back and hand him my sketchpad. He narrows his eyes at me and takes the sketchpad flipping it open.

"You will pay for that later." he says as he looks through my drawings. He stops at one and he smiles a small smile. "I think this one." he says pointing to the drawing. I lean over his shoulder and peer down at the drawing. It's one of Jace, but in this one he has angel wings and is standing on top of a grassy hill with the sun shining behind him making him look like he's bathed in light.

I smirk at him. "Are you sure it's not because it's a drawing of you?" I ask. He shakes his head and grins at me.

"Although, I do look stunningly attractive in this one, I think it's really good. I like how the light shines behind me. It would be beautiful, even if you drew somebody else in it."

I look at it again and I have to agree with him. He is stunningly attractive. If this gets displayed, I could look at Jace's face all day. I know that sounds pathetic, but I don't care. I nod my head and say, "You're right. I'll take this one on Monday."

"Now that it's settled, come here." Jace says as he tosses the sketchpad down and grabs me, pulling me into his lap. He attacks my neck and I let out a giggle. Soon my giggles turn into moans as his lips ravish my skin. He lies me down on the bed and slides my pants down my legs. His hands rub up the side of them until he gets to my shirt and pulls it over my head, leaving me in only my bra and panties. He sits up and his eyes roam all over my body.

"Jesus! You're so fucking hot." he says as he lies on top of me. "I want you so bad right now it's almost painful." he whispers in my ear, his hot breath causing my body to tremble with desire. I pull his face to mine and mold my mouth to his. His tongue caresses mine and my hands travel up his body and into his hair. _He has awesome hair._ Jace's mouth goes to my neck, then my shoulder, and then to the edge of my bra. His hands pull on my breasts and I arch my back and moan. I feel him smile against my skin and my panties disappear down my legs. I sit up and push him back until we are both sitting up. Our eyes bore into each other. I stand up without looking away from him. I pull him up with me and he wraps his arms around me. We kiss with an intense longing.

I push up his shirt and pull it over his head and let it drop to the floor. Rubbing down his chest and abs, I get to the waistband of his jeans and unbutton them, sliding them and his boxers down his legs. He steps out of them and kicks them away. My eyes travel up his body to his eyes. His are watching me intently. The gold in them dark and lit up like fire. I push him down on the bed and climb on top of him slowly. His hands go to my waist and grip me hard. Then they move up my back to my bra strap. He swiftly unhooks it and pulls it down my arms and takes one of my nipples in his mouth. I find his mouth again and plunge my tongue inside his. He sits up with me on top and clutches me impossibly closer.

I move up a little and slide onto him. His length going all the way in. My eyes roll back in my head and I lean forward and rest my forehead on his as I move up and down slowly. Jace's eyes are closed and he breathes out a shaky breath. I keep moving and he holds me as close as he can, like I might disappear. I'm so lost in every sensation that my brain actually shuts down. I can't think about anything except Jace and the feelings he invokes in me. I open my eyes and look down at Jace. He is staring back at me. The look in his eyes causes me to catch my breath. I have never seen so much love, adoration, and awe. I feel like I can see all the way to his soul right now. I kiss him with everything I have, hoping to let him know what he does to me. I increase the tempo and I feel a hot explosion inside of me and I gasp as I release with him.

We hold each other trying to regulate our breathing. That was the most intense feeling I have ever had. Granted, I haven't had the experience Jace has, but that felt different to me. Maybe because I was on top this time. When I feel I can talk without panting, I ask Jace.

"Did that feel different to you? More intense?" I ask quietly.

"Hell, yeah. That was, shit, I've never felt anything like that before." he says in amazement.

"Is it because I'm on top?" I ask feeling so stupid, my cheeks flaming.

"I don't think that has anything to do with it. You're just amazing, baby." he says and kisses me sweetly. I smile at him and stiffly climb off of him. I feel so wet down there. Funny I never noticed that before. Before I can contemplate it, I hear Jace curse loudly.

"Fuck, Clary. . . ."

I look back at him and he is staring at his lap not moving. A look of fear on his face. I rush over and kneel down in front of him, taking his face in my hands.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" I ask, not having a clue for the look of panic on his face.

"No, Clary, I-I'm not hurt. We….we didn't use anything. I'm so sorry, I should've remembered….God, I'm sorry." he stammers out.

I furrow my brows and try to comprehend what he's saying. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. I feel the color drain from my face. "Oh." I say numbly. I stand up and look down at myself. "Oh, Jace….it's my fault. I am so so sorry. Oh, God! I may have just ruined your life." I say pulling a shirt over my head and looking for my underwear. Jace pulls me to his chest and lifts my chin to look at me.

"Clary, neither of us was thinking straight. It happened, but I don't regret anything about what that felt like. It was amazing. Hopefully, nothing will come of this, but if it does, I want you to know that no matter what, I'll always be here for you and I'll never stop loving you. You are my world, my everything." He brings my hand to his heart. "This belongs to you now. Every beat is yours." He wipes the tears that escaped my eyes and kisses me softly. "Come on, let's go to bed. I want to hold you and never let you go."

I sniff and nod. He pulls me to the bed and we climb in and lie as close as possible to each other. I fall asleep to Jace gently stroking my hair and telling me he loves me.

o.O.o

JPOV

I can't sleep. I keep thinking about making love to Clary earlier tonight. That was the best I have ever had. I never imagined how different it would feel without a condom, without that small barrier, but it did. So different, so much better. I know it wouldn't be a good idea, but damn it, I want to do it again just like that. I look down at Clary sleeping soundly on my chest. I feel my chest tighten and I know what I want to do. I want to ask Clary to marry me. I know it's soon and I know we're young, but I'm 100% positive I will never want anyone else. Besides, we don't have to get married right away. I just want her to know that I'll be hers forever if she'll have me. Tomorrow is Saturday, so I think I'll take Clary to my parents' house for a visit. I need to talk to my mom. I snuggle up closer to my girl and I finally drift off to sleep.

I wake up to find the bed empty. I stretch and get out of the bed pulling my boxers on. I peer out the door remembering Jon spent the night at Isabelle's last night; I walk out in my boxers to look for my fiery red head beauty. The kitchen is empty and so is the living room. I walk back toward Clary's room when I hear the shower running in the bathroom. I smile a wicked smile and I open the door quietly. I see her silhouette through the curtain. I yank off my boxers and slide the curtain open carefully and slip in with her. She has her eyes closed and is rinsing the shampoo out of her long hair. The trail the soap makes down her body makes my mouth water.

"God, you're beautiful." I say staring at her. She jumps and her eyes pop open.

"Jesus, Jace! You scared the crap out of me! What are you doing in here?" she asks breathing heavily.

"I woke up alone and I didn't like it." I say walking slowly toward her. "Then I heard the shower and I couldn't help myself. I just had to see you. Are you mad?" I ask her sweetly rubbing my hands down her arms bending down closer to her height.

She bites her lip to keep from smiling. "No I'm not mad. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I thought I would let you sleep. Come here. You're too far away." she says and I quickly close the distance and press my lips to hers. She immediately opens up and I thrust my tongue all around her mouth, biting her bottom lip lightly and swiping my tongue over it. Her hands trace over my body and I push her against the cold tiles of the shower wall. I pull back breathing heavy. I take a step away from her because of what happened last night.

"Why did you stop?" she asks with her eyes so wide and clear, I could stare at them all day.

"Because, I don't have a condom with me right now. Although , now that I know exactly what it feels like without one, it's taking every bit of strength I have not to back you into that wall and take you right here and now." I say, my voice husky from desire.

"Do you really think that's what made it more special?" she asks, her eyes showing some emotion I can't figure out.

"It was awesome. Didn't you think so?"

"Yeah. It was great. I'm done in here. Feel free to continue your shower." she says as she steps out and wraps a towel around her body and rushes out of the bathroom.

_What just happened here?_

**_Uh oh. . . .what's got into Clary? What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts! _**

**_Until next time. . . . _**


	23. Chapter 22

_**Okay everyone, this is what I call my monster chapter because it is super long. After reading everyone's reviews from last chapter, I hope youall are not disappointed with the turn of events taking place here. This story is kind of writing itself at this point and I am just the typer! So I hope you enjoy!**_

_**The only character that's mine is Sara and none of the music is mine! :(**_

**Chapter 22:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Everything by Lifehouse_

_Look After You by The Fray_

_Cover Your Tracks by A Boy and His Kite_

_Redemption by The Strange Familiar_

_Fix You by Secondhand Serenade_

I turn off the water and dry off, put my boxers back on and go to Clary's room. She has clothes on and is violently pulling a brush through her hair. I walk up behind her and look at her through the mirror. Her face is void of any emotion. It's scary.

"Clary. . . ."

She cuts me off and says, "I'm going to make breakfast." I grab her arm as she passes me.

"Are you alright?" I ask, while my heart beats rapidly in my chest. She looks up at me and smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes so I know it's fake.

"I'm perfect." she says as she walks out of the room. I stare after her not knowing what to do. I think back to the shower when things started going south. _Oh, shit!_ Did she think I meant the only thing I loved about last night was the way it felt without a condom, that it had nothing to do with her? I smack my head with my palm and groan. I throw on my clothes and go to the kitchen. Clary is standing with her back to me against the island looking at the floor. I stand in front of her hoping she'll look up, but she stubbornly keeps her face hidden.

"Clary, I hope you don't think I didn't love last night. It was amazing." I say trying to look into her eyes.

"Yeah, I know. Sex is better without a condom. Now that you know that, what's to stop you from going out to get it on with the girls you used to. I mean, they've got to be better at it than me. Just think how good it would be with them now." she says finally looking at me. I feel my eyes widen and the breath whoosh out of me.

"No. No!" I say shaking my head at her. "That's not what I meant at all. Clary, please listen to what I'm trying to say here. I don't want to ever have sex with anyone else ever again, with or definitely without a condom. How I feel about last night is solely because of you. You make it the best, because I love you. What we share is not just sex to me. When I'm with you like that, everything is intensified. I feel your love for me and I hope you can feel mine. Please, don't doubt what we have. You're all I'll ever need or want."

She looks into my eyes for an immeasurable amount of time, searching. Then she sighs. "I'm sorry. I just let my insecurities get to me. All I need is you, too and I'll never want anyone else either." she says and wraps her arms around my waist hugging me tight. I hug her back and kiss her forehead.

"I'd like to take you to see my parents today. Would you like to go?" I ask her while running my hands through her damp hair.

Looking up at me, she smiles and says, "I would love to." I kiss her gently on the lips and we get ready to spend the day at my parents' house.

I watch her change clothes and put on a little bit of makeup. God, I almost messed up today. She looks over at me and smiles, this time it's real. Getting up and walking over to the bed, she stands in between my legs and runs a hand through my hair. I look up at her and stare at her in awe. She smiles down at me and places a soft kiss on my waiting lips.

I stand up and cup her cheeks. I kiss her on the corner of her mouth. Moving across her lips, I whisper her name and kiss her on the other corner. I pull back slightly, still within a couple of centimeters of her lips.

"There are no words that'll tell you the extent of my feelings for you. All I can do is tell you as many times as I can that I love you." I whisper against her mouth. She inhales sharply and blows it out and crashes into me. Lips moving in sync, hands grabbing at each other, clothes being yanked off. We don't stop until I'm inside of her pumping away, this time with that important part that was missing last night. I feel her fingernails raking up and down my back and just before she lets herself go, she breathes out my name and it's the single most erotic sound I've ever heard, causing me to tremble inside of her.

After catching our breath, we get dressed and leave the apartment to see my parents. In the car, I reach over and take her hand in mine. She glances at me with a peaceful smile.

"Thank you." she says still gazing at me.

"What for?" I ask, unsure of what I did to be thanked for.

"For loving me." she says simply. I squeeze her hand.

"Thank you for saving me and giving me a life I never knew I wanted." I say back to her. Her eyes widen and then soften as she leans across the console and kisses me on the cheek. We drive the rest of the way listening to the radio and talking.

I pull up in the circular driveway and park. I get out and jog around and open the door for Clary and wrap my arm around her small waist. We get to the door and go inside calling out for my parents. Max rushes down the stairs and launches himself at Clary.

"Clary! I've missed you!" he shrieks. Clary laughs and hugs him back. I ruffle his hair and he hugs me after he detaches himself from Clary. My mom comes in and hugs both of us, too.

"Hello, you two. Clary it's so good to see you again. How have you been?" mom asks

"I've been great, thanks. It's nice to see you again, too." Clary says shyly.

"Clary, I just got some new comics. Will you come and read them with me?" Max asks grabbing Clary's hand. Clary smiles at him and glances at me. I nod my head and kiss her cheek.

"Go ahead and I'll be right there." I say to her as Max pulls her up the stairs. I watch her leave and then turn back to my mom. She's looking at me with a giant smile on her face.

"You look really happy." she says.

"I am. There's only one thing that can make me happier and that's what I wanted to talk to you about." I say rubbing the back of my neck.

"Oh, well then come on. Let's sit down and talk." she says and walks into the living room and sits down on the couch. I sit beside her and gather my thoughts.

"I would like to ask Clary to marry me. Now before you say anything, let me finish. I know we're young and I know I haven't known her very long, but I am absolutely certain that she's the one and we don't have to get married right away, but I want her to know she can have me forever. She makes me so happy. I never want to spend another day without her in my life. What do you think about that? Tell me honestly." I say looking my mother in the eye trying to gauge her reaction.

She doesn't say anything for a second, and then she beams at me. "Oh! I think it's wonderful! She's good for you and I see how much you love her. I'm so proud of the person you've become. When do you think you'll ask her?" she asks squeezing my hands.

"I don't know. I need to get a ring and I want to ask her parents first. I just met them though. How do you think they'll react?"

"I don't know. Have you asked her brother what he thinks? They seem close."

"He knows how I feel about her, but I haven't mentioned this to him. You did know he's dating Isabelle, didn't you? They're pretty serious, too. "

"Well, I know she's seeing someone but I wasn't aware it was him. If he's anything like Clary, I'm okay with it." she says smiling.

I nod my head and say, "Jon is good for Isabelle. He's treats her well." I stand up and hug her. "Thanks mom. I'm going to go up and see Max and Clary."

"Okay, son. I'll make us something to eat. I'll call you down when it's ready. Your dad will be here later. He's playing golf with some associates." she says as she goes to the kitchen.

I run up the stairs to Max's room and pause just inside the door. Max is curled up into Clary's side with a book open in her lap and she's reading to him. He has a small smile on his face as he listens to her read and looks at the pages of the book. Clary notices me standing in the doorway and smiles, patting the space next to her. I unhitch myself from the door frame and sit beside her, putting my arm around her waist. Max looks up at me and says, "Jace, Clary is awesome. I can't wait for you to marry her."

My eyes widen and Clary chokes and starts coughing. I pat her back and watch her flaming cheeks.

Max furrows his brows and looks at us. "Well aren't you going to get married? You love each other." he says innocently. I chuckle and steal a glance at Clary. She's starting to compose herself. She looks at me and I smile at her.

"Well, Max, I would love to marry Clary one day." I say never looking away from her. She blushes again and looks down before gazing back at me.

"Food's ready!" my mom calls from downstairs. We get up and Max runs ahead of us. I hold Clary's hand and whisper, "I love you, baby." She squeezes my hand and kisses me on the lips and says she loves me too.

We eat and when my dad comes home, we spend time with both of them. We leave just before dark and drive back to the apartment. When we get there, we decide to stay at my place. Clary goes to get her some clothes and I wait for her in my room. I'm going to talk to Jon and then her parents. I'll get Isabelle to help me with the ring and then I will ask her. Clary comes in one of my shirts and some boy shorts and crawls in the bed beside me. It doesn't take her long to fall fast asleep. I hold her all night and dream of our future.

o.O.o

It's been a few weeks since I started working at the gallery. I love it. Everything is going so well. Isabelle and Jon are getting serious. At the end of the month, when her lease is up, she's moving in with us. Sometimes, I feel like a third wheel with them, but Jace would probably love it if I decided to move in with him and Alec. Alec is still dating Sara and he's hardly ever at their place anymore. As for me and Jace, everything is going perfectly.

I wake up and stretch. Rolling over, I climb out of bed. Just as I get my clothes on, I feel a sudden wave of nausea hit me. I run for the bathroom and make it to the toilet just in time. I throw up what's left in my stomach and begin dry heaving. A few minutes later, I pick my head up and sit back against the tub. I touch my forehead and feel a light sheen of sweat. I shakily stand up and splash some cold water on my face. Taking a deep breath, I walk out of the bathroom and go to the kitchen. Once I get there, I realize how hungry I am now that nothing is in my stomach anymore. I look through the pantry and decide to eat something light in case the nausea returns. I fix myself some dry toast and sit down to eat. After eating, I feel fine so I continue getting ready for work, but before I can leave it hits me again and I'm doubled over the toilet for the second time this morning. I decide I must have a stomach bug or something so I call Libby and tell her I can't come in. I lie on the couch the rest of the day and go back and forth between hunger and nausea. I fall asleep sometime in the afternoon, curled up on the couch. I feel something touch my head. I slowly open my eyes and look right into golden ones.

"Hey, baby. Are you alright?" he asks as he strokes my hair away from my face.

"I wouldn't get too close to me. I've been sick all day. I don't want you to get sick, too." I say weakly.

"I don't care. I can't stay away from you. I've already spent too much time away from you already today." he says quietly and kisses me on the forehead. "Can I get you anything?" he asks sweetly.

I sit up a little and think about it. "I am a little hungry, but every time I eat, I throw up." I say pushing the blanket off of me.

"Let me make you some soup. I'll bring it to you and I'll even feed you." he says getting up and walking to the kitchen. I roll my eyes and smile. _He's so sweet to me._

When the soup is done, he brings it to me and sits beside me. After blowing the soup, he places the spoon in my mouth. He smiles and continues feeding me. Jon opens the door and walks in, seeing Jace feeding me on the couch wrapped up in a blanket.

"Dew Drop, what's wrong?" he asks coming over to me and feeling my head.

"I'm fine, Jon. Just a little stomach bug, that's all. I'm feeling much better right now." I say to both of them.

"Do you need to go to the doctor?" Jon asks eyeing me carefully.

"No, I'll be fine. I promise." I say smiling at him. He nods and turns the channel on the TV to SportsCenter. Jace and Jon start talking about sports and I tune them out. I feel that familiar feeling in my stomach just as Isabelle comes in. I jump up and run to the bathroom. I hear Isabelle from the living room.

"What the hell? Is she okay?" she asks, but I don't know who answers her because I begin dry heaving again. Jace comes in and rubs his hands down my back and waits until I'm done and then he carries me to my room and puts me on the bed.

"I'm so sorry, baby.' he says in a soothing voice.

"It's so weird. I feel fine until I eat and then I throw up, but I'm hungry after I throw everything up. My stomach just can't make its mind up." I say snuggling up to Jace's chest. He hugs me close and kisses my hair. "Go to sleep and if you still feel sick tomorrow, I'll stay home with you and take care of you."

I close my eyes and fall asleep. The next thing I know, it's morning. I slowly stretch my limbs and try to feel what my stomach may do today. Jace is not in the bed with me so I gradually stand up and wait. Nothing. I begin getting dressed for work. Still feeling fine, I go to the bathroom and hear the shower running. I step inside and see Jace's miraculous body behind the curtain.

"Morning. I'm just going to brush my teeth and fix my hair and then I'll be out of your way." I say while I grab my toothbrush and put some toothpaste on it. Jace pokes his head out of the curtain and gives me his signature smirk.

"Morning, beautiful. How are you feeling today?" he asks clearly showing his concern for me.

I spit my toothpaste out and rinse my mouth before answering,

"I feel better. However, I think I'll skip breakfast this morning and see how it goes from there." I say brushing through my thick curls. Jace turns off the water and reaches for his towel, opening the curtain all the way. I gaze at him through the mirror and feel heat pulse through me from the top of my head to my toes. He wraps the towel around his waist and steps up behind me. Looking at me in the mirror, he rubs his hands down my arms and wraps his arms around my waist. He places a chaste kiss on my neck and rests his chin on my shoulder.

"Are you sure we shouldn't stay home and take it easy? We could just stay in bed all day together." he says dropping a kiss on my shoulder.

I smile and say, "As tempting as that sounds, I need to go to work and so do you." Turning in his arms, I face him and smile seductively. "We've got all night to be in bed together."

He smiles and kisses me just the way I love. He smacks my behind and leaves the bathroom to get dressed. Jace and I ride together and he drops me off at the gallery. I get to work immediately, feeling bad about being out yesterday. Everything is going great until I feel the need to puke again. I rush into the bathroom and spill my guts. _God, I thought I was better!_ I come out of the bathroom and find Libby standing in the hall.

"Clary, are you alright?" she asks looking me over.

"I thought I was all better, but it just comes out of nowhere. I'll be fine one minute and then it hits me and I barely make it to the bathroom in time. I'm really sorry." I say apologetically.

"It's not your fault, Clary. Maybe you should go to the doctor. I don't want you to get dehydrated."

I nod and agree to go to the doctor. I call Isabelle to see if I can borrow her car so I can go to the doctor. She insists on taking me instead. I wait for her to pick me up, sketching a picture of her. Soon, she pulls up and I climb in her car.

"Still feeling bad, eh?" she asks as I buckle my seatbelt.

"Uh huh." I say looking out the window. She drives me to a medical building and we go inside. I sign in and sit down next to Isabelle and wait. Twenty minutes later, a nurse pokes her head out and calls me back. Isabelle nods at me and says she'll wait out there for me so I follow the nurse to an exam room. She does the routine stuff, taking my blood pressure, pulse, temperature, etc. She asks me my symptoms and hands me a cup to take in the bathroom.

"We'll need a urine sample, so we can run some tests." she says as she leads me to the bathroom.

I go in and do as she asks and place the cup in the window. I exit the bathroom and she ushers me back to the exam room telling me the doctor will be in shortly. I go and sit on the exam table and wait. My mind drifting off. Sometime later, a light knock sounds at the door and in walks a short, auburn haired woman with a friendly smile.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Branwell. I was asked to see you based on your test results." she says kindly sitting on a small round stool facing me.

I just look at her confused. "I don't understand."

She smiles and says, "This office has many different types of doctors working here. There are general practitioners, internal medicine specialists, orthopedic doctors, etc." I'm an OB-GYN. That's why I was called to see you. Congratulations Ms. Garroway, you're going to have a baby."

My blood runs cold in my veins and I feel all the color drain from my face. I try to take a breath, but all I can manage are gasps. I begin to panic. _Oh my God! Pregnant! This can't be happening! I can't breathe!_ Dr. Branwell jumps up, grabs a bag from somewhere and tells me to breathe into it. I do as she says and finally start to calm my racing heart.

"There,there. Just take a few calming breaths. Everything is going to be okay. Can I call you Clary?" she asks in a soothing voice.

I nod still unable to speak. "Okay, Clary. I know this has come as quite a shock for you. I need to ask you some things to better treat you." I nod again. "Good. Now, I know there is a father, but will he be around to help with things?"

I honestly don't know what Jace is going to do about this. _Oh my God! How am I going to tell him?_

"I-I don't know. I don't know how he'll react to this." I tell her feeling like I might throw up again.

She nods and writes something down. "Do you have a support system? You know, parents, friends, other family members that will support you throughout the pregnancy and after?" she asks looking up at me.

"Yeah. I-I think so." I say nodding uncertainly.

She writes again and smiles, patting my hand. "I would like to schedule you for an appointment in the next week or so to check you out in my office. I'll have the nurse come in and take care of that. In the meantime, here are some pamphlets you can read through in case you have any questions between now and then. I look forward to seeing you soon." she says and leaves me in the room by myself. I put my head in my hands and my eyes start to tear up. How am I going to do this? The nurse opens the door and schedules me an appointment, hands me the appointment card and leads me back to the waiting room where Isabelle is patiently waiting for me. As soon as I see her, my throat closes and I feel the tears again. She looks up and sees my face and rushes over to me.

"Clary, what is it? What's wrong?" she asks grabbing the tops of my arms.

I can't speak. All I can do is stare at her with tears in my eyes. I move my hand with the pamphlets toward her. She looks down at it and plucks it from my frozen fingers. She looks at the front of it and her eyes just about pop out of her head. She looks at me and they soften.

"Oh, Clary. It's going to be okay, I promise." she says hugging me.

"It's not. Nothing will ever be okay again. How can it be? Jace is going to leave me and I'll have to do this alone." I say shaking my head and letting the tears fall from my eyes.

"Jace will not leave you. He loves you. You are not going to do anything alone. You will have all of us, Jace, me, Jon, our parents." she says trying to be reassuring.

_Shit! My parents! I didn't even think about what they will think about this!_

"Oh, God! My parents….I think I'm gonna throw up." I say clutching my stomach.

"Come on, let's get out of here. I'm taking the day to be with you. We'll find a way to tell Jace about this." she says pulling me to her car. We get to my apartment, Isabelle having to pull me the whole way. She sits me down on the couch and plops down beside me.

Finally, I speak. "Isabelle….I can't tell him." I whisper.

She turns to me and holds my hand. "Clary, you have to tell him. He needs to know he's having a baby."

"I know he does. But I can't tell him yet. I-I need to get out of here. Please keep this to yourself for now, Isabelle. I'll be back later. Thank you for going with me and everything. I just need some air." I say standing up and backing out of the living room. Isabelle looks at me with a worried expression. I spin on my heels and rush out the door and run as fast as I can. I know where I need to go. I head straight for the bus station and buy a round trip ticket back home. Two hours later, I'm standing in front of Simon.

I sink to the ground and cry. "Oh, Simon….I really messed up. I fell in love and got pregnant and now I don't know what's going to happen. I wish you were here to tell me what to do. For the first time, I have no one I can talk to about this. Jon won't understand. Isabelle is Jace's sister, my parents will be furious, Jace will probably leave me, and you….you're gone." I sit there until the sun sets and darkness falls over the cemetery. I search my pockets for my phone, but come up empty. I walk slowly to the bus stop and wait for the bus. It finally comes, and I get on and ride the two hours back home. Once in the city, I walk back to the apartment, bracing myself for the worried faces that are sure to greet me.

I open my door and walk in. I go in the living room and Isabelle and Jon look up as I enter. Jace is nowhere to be seen. Jon stands up and comes up to me, studying me closely.

"Clary, where have you been?"

I shoot Isabelle a look and she shakes her head at me. "I went to see Simon."

Jon nods and says, "Next time, take your phone. We've been worried sick about you."

"Um, where's Jace?" I ask them.

"Oh, he had some errands to run. We didn't want him freaking out about you being gone, so we covered for you. He'll be back later." Jon says going back to Isabelle.

"Thanks. Um….I'm going to bed. When Jace gets here, just tell him I'm already asleep and I'll see him tomorrow." I say and head to my room. Closing my door, I change into my pajamas and climb in the bed. I wrap up in the blankets and cry myself to sleep.

_**So yes, Clary is pregnant! I know some of you did not want this to happen but this is what came out of my head. How will Jace react when she finally tells him? You'll find out in the next chapter! Go easy on me now - just kidding! :)**_

_**Until next time lovies. . . .**_


	24. Chapter 23

_**Another Monday! :( First of all, I wanted to tell you how happy I am with the reviews. You guys are great! I was so worried about the pregnancy beign too predictable, but I can't help my brain! :) So. . . . now for Jace's reaction. Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter. **_

_**I own a few things but the characters and music are not one of them!**_

**Chapter 23:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Blind by Lifehouse_

_Return to Me by Matthew Ryan_

_Permanent by David Cook_

_The Art of Falling by Greg Holden_

JPOV

After talking to Jon about what his parents would say about me asking Clary to marry me, I decided to go see them after work since Clary was busy. I drive the two hours to her parents' house and knock on their door. Luke answers and invites me in.

"Jace, come in. Jon called and told us to expect you to stop by." he says shaking my hand.

"Hello, sir. It's nice to see you again." I say as politely as I can. He leads me to the living room where we were last time and I sit down. Jocelyn is already there smiling at me.

"Hello, Jace. What a pleasant surprise. I hope everything is okay with Clary." she says to me with a look of concern flashing in her eyes.

"Oh, no. She's great. She's perfect in fact. That's kind of what I came here for." I take a deep breath and look at both of them right in the eye. "I adore Clary. I think she's amazing and brilliant and beautiful. I know I haven't known her long and I know we're young, but I also know with absolute certainty she's the one for me. I would like to ask Clary to marry me. I came here to ask you; will you allow me to marry your daughter?" I ask holding my breath.

I briefly glance at Luke, focusing more on Jocelyn. She seems to be considering my speech. I look down at my lap. She's not happy about this.

"We would be honored." she says with an emotion in her voice I can't place. My head snaps up and I look at her with my eyes wide.

"What?" I ask to make sure I heard her right.

"We can see how much you love each other. Clary has been so unhappy and since she met you, I can see that spark returning that was once there only now it's stronger than before. I know you will take care of her. Thank you. It means so much to us that you came to us first. We support you 100%." she says and Luke agrees standing up and shaking my hand. Jocelyn stands and hugs me. We talk for a little while longer, then I drive back home to see my beautiful girl.

When I get home, I find her already in bed asleep. I hardly got to talk to her today. She must still be feeling sick, so I undress and slip in beside her and go to sleep holding her tight.

I wake up to an empty bed. Thinking Clary must either be in the kitchen or bathroom, I get up and put my clothes on and leave her room to look for her. I notice the bathroom is empty, so I continue on to the kitchen. Isabelle is there fixing herself a cup of coffee.

"Hey, have you seen Clary?" I ask her, grabbing a cup and pouring me some.

She looks uncomfortable for a second then shrugs her shoulders and says, "She already left." And then she goes back to Jon's room.

Clary left without saying goodbye. She's never done that before. It feels like I haven't seen her in forever. Last night she was already asleep and this morning she already left. I pull out my phone and call her. It rings and rings but she doesn't answer. An uneasy feeling starts to settle in the pit of my stomach. I finish my coffee and go to the bathroom to get ready for work. My phones dings and I have a new text. I open it and see it's from Clary. She says she couldn't answer a minute ago and she'll talk to me later. I text her back ok and I love her. I wait for another one from her but nothing comes.

I go to work thinking about Clary. Something is up and I have a feeling its bad. Why is she pushing me away? We're going to talk tonight. I need to know what's wrong. Just as I'm about to get off work, my phone dings again. It's a text from Clary. She says she'll be working late and she'll see me tomorrow. _What? First this morning and now tonight? Hell no!_ I decide to go straight to the gallery and make her talk to me. When I get there however, it's closed. I peer in through the window and see a flash of red in the shadows. I bang my fists on the door.

"Clary! Clary! I know you're in there! Let me in! Please!" I yell through the door. "Please Clary." I say quieter this time. She appears on the other side of the door and looks at me. She's been crying. "Please let me in, baby." I beg. Her tears spill over and she unlocks the door moving aside so I can come in. I step in and close the door behind me never taking my eyes off of her. I raise my hand to touch her cheek, but she moves and holds up her hand.

"Please don't touch me." she whispers.

"Why? Did I do something? Tell me what's wrong?" I ask bewildered at her actions.

She shakes her head and a sob makes its way out of her throat and she stumbles a little. I reach out instinctually but stop myself from touching her. "Clary, you're freaking me out. A-Are you breaking up with me?" I ask my voice breaking on the last part.

She looks down at her feet and then up at me. "Jace we need to talk."

o.O.o

Jace is looking at me with so many emotions on his face. I see fear, dread, hurt, anger, and above all love. I just hope that one will still be there after I tell him what I'm about to.

I lead him to the back where there are some chairs. We sit facing each other and I look down unable to look into his eyes when I say this. I take a deep breath and let it out shakily.

"Um…." I clear my throat. "I want you to know that I love you, Jace, more than anything. And I would never expect anything from you. I don't ever want you to feel obligated to me or feel trapped because if you choose to leave, I won't stop you. You'd be free to leave without any repercussions of any kind. I promise."

"Clary, what are you talking about? Why would I want to leave you, I love you." he says reaching out and grasping my hands forgetting about not touching me.

"You might not think that way for long." I murmur. "Jace, I….I….Oh God!" I squeak. "I'm p-pregnant." I stammer out in a whisper. I look down not wanting to see his reaction. My heart is beating so fast I can feel it in my ears. My lips begin to tremble and I feel panic start to creep back in. I need to get out of there and get some air. I stand up ripping my hands out of his and make my way to the back door stumbling in my haste to get there. Jace jolts out of his shock and runs after me just as I reach the door. The air painfully moving in and out of my lungs in short fast breaths.

"Clary! Wait!" I turn a little wheezing and gasping for air. He cups my cheeks and I close my eyes. This may be the last time he does this. "Clary, it's going to be okay. I promise. Please calm down. I would never leave you to face this alone. I love you and nothing will ever change that." I open my eyes and his are boring right into mine. Like he's staring right into my soul. "I told you I want everything with you. That includes a family. Just because things are happening quicker than we would like or out of order doesn't change that." Still cupping my face, he leans forward and rests his forehead against mine, his lips only centimeters away from mine. "I love you, baby." he murmurs against them. "And right now I just want to kiss you. Please let me kiss you." he whispers. I nod my head and reach up around his neck. His lips meet mine and we both let out a choked sound of relief.

This kiss may just be the best one yet. I don't know if it's because of all of the emotion and turmoil behind it or what, but right now I don't care. All that matters is Jace knows, he's not leaving me, and he still loves me. When he pulls away, I open my eyes and gaze up at him. He smiles at me and wipes away the remaining tears on my face. Placing a chaste kiss on my lips, he asks, "Now what do we know about this?"

I sigh and reply, "Isabelle took me to the doctor the other day because I couldn't stop throwing up and Libby thought I might get dehydrated if I didn't. I called Isabelle to borrow her car but she insisted on bringing me, that's why she was there. They ran some tests and then a doctor came in and told me she was going to be seeing me because she was an OB-GYN doctor telling me I'm pregnant. I have an appointment next week to find out more specific things. I don't know what exactly. I haven't told anyone but Isabelle because she was there and now you."

He nods his head and says, "Okay. Well, the first thing we need to do is tell Jon. And I want to go with you when you go to the doctor. I'm not going to miss any appointments if I can help it. You won't have to do this alone. We'll get through this together." He wraps his arms around me and hugs me close.

"You have no idea how much that means to me. When the doctor asked me if you would be around, I didn't know. I hoped you would be, but I didn't know what you would do when you found out. I had a dream you were mad and told me you wanted nothing to do with me or the baby and to stay away from you. Then you started dating again. I guess that's why I was distancing myself from you, so maybe it wouldn't hurt as much when you told me you never wanted to see me again." I say hugging him back.

"That will never happen." he says holding my face between his hands and staring into my eyes. "Come on. Let's go home. We need to talk to Jon and we need to figure some things out." he says pulling me to front door. I lock it and we get in his car and drive the rest of the way home. When we get there, Jon and Isabelle are eating together on the couch. They look up at us as we enter and Jon sees my tear-stained face and his instantly turns to concern.

"Berry, what's wrong?" he asks coming up to me. I hug him and hold onto him. His arms go around me and he hugs me, patting me on the back.

"Jon, I love you." I say but it comes out muffled because my face is pressed into his chest. I feel the tears coming again and I squeeze my eyes shut.

Jon lets out a small chuckle and says, "I love you, too, Cherry drop. What's the matter?" he asks as he still holds me tight.

"Please don't get mad." I whisper and pull back to look at him. He looks down at me with a confused look. I look over at Isabelle and she gives me a sympathetic smile. I reach back and lace my fingers with Jace's and step beside him. I open my mouth to tell Jon but nothing comes out. I can't speak through the lump that's formed in my throat. I glance at Jace and he squeezes my hand. Looking back at my brother I take a deep breath and blow it out noisily.

"Jon, we're….we're-I'm….Jon, I'm pregnant." I close my eyes and hold my breath.

I hear him blow out a breath and I slowly open my eyes to peer at him. He's looking at Jace but he doesn't look mad. I chance a peek at Jace and see him nod his head a little at him. I furrow my brows and look back at Jon. This time he's looking at me.

"Well, it may be a surprise, but I'm here for you Dew Drop. Whatever you need. This may not seem like it now, but this might be a good thing. A baby….This baby will be the most spoiled baby in the world. I'll be the best uncle in the world." he says smiling down at me.

The emotion inside of me spills over and I launch myself at my brother and cling to him and cry. "Thank you so much. You are the best brother. I love you so much, Jon." I choke out between sobs. I pull away and wipe my eyes. Looking at everyone, I say, "I'm sorry for crying so much. It must be these damn hormones or something. I hate crying."

Jace laughs softly and puts his arm around my waist and pulls me to his side and kisses me on the temple. Isabelle hugs me and tells us she's happy for us both and hugs Jace as well. We sit down together in the living room and Jace turns to me and says, "I think we should move in together."

I look at him and he is completely serious. "I told you I don't want you to feel obligated to do anything, Jace."

"I don't feel obligated. I want us to live together. I did even before this. Isabelle's moving in here soon so it's a good time to be looking somewhere for us to live." he says matter-of-factly.

"What about Alec? Are you just gonna leave him without a roommate? That's not very nice." I say trying to make excuses but coming up empty. Jace sees this and shakes his head.

"Why don't you want to live with me? You love me, right?" I nod my head. "And we're having a baby. I don't want to miss out on anything. I want to be there for everything, Clary. I already missed finding out with you." A pang of sympathy shoots through me. Then Jon speaks up.

"Clare-bear, can I talk to you for a second?" he asks standing up. I get up and follow him to the kitchen. He turns and faces me and puts his hands on my shoulders. "Why don't you want to move? Tell me the truth."

"I don't know." I say looking down. He lowers himself until he is at eye level with me and then understanding lights his eyes.

"Aha. You don't want to leave me." I look away from him but he brings my gaze back to him. "Clary, I love you. No matter where you are, you'll always be my baby sister and I'll always be there when you need me. We can find somewhere close by so we can see each other every day. Jace loves you and he wants to take care of you and the baby now. You need to let him in, Cherry." he says gently. I nod and hug him tight. We go back out to the living room. I sit next to Jace and I take his hands.

"Can we stay close to Jon and Isabelle?" I ask, hoping I didn't hurt his feelings.

"Of course, baby. We'll start looking tomorrow, but first we need to tell Alec." he says with a smile. I groan at the thought of repeating this again. He laughs and pulls me out the door to his apartment to talk to Alec.

_**I hope you are pleased with Jace. I know I'm always pleased with Jace! HE HE! I also love Jon in this one too. He's such a good big brother and I wouldn't want to move far away from him either! Let me know what you think?**_

_**Until nect time. . . .**_


	25. Chapter 24

_**Hello Hello! Here is Chapter 24 for you and I'm getting a little sad because I don't know how many chapters this will end up having and we are already at 24 and well you know. . . .I don't want it to end! I have had so much fun writing this story and you guys have been so great to me, so thanks! **_

**You get to meet Sara in this chapter which is someone I made up so I guess I own her! HA! As usual, I do not own anyone else even though I wish I did! Oh and the music isn't mine either!**

**Enjoy! :)**

**Chapter 24:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Belong by Cary Brothers_

_How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding_

_Be Still by The Fray_

_Yellow by Coldplay_

Jace and I walk into his apartment to find Alec and what must be Sara sitting in the living room watching a movie. They both turn when we enter and Alec pauses the movie and stands up.

"Jace….um I thought you were staying over at Clary's tonight." he says glancing at Sara and then back at us.

"I am but we need to talk to you for a minute, if you don't mind." Jace says giving him a look that a sibling would give.

"I'm Clary, by the way." I say moving forward to shake Sara's hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Sara, this is my brother, Jace and his girlfriend, Clary. Guys, this is Sara." Alec introduces us turning red at the awkwardness.

Sara smiles and waves at us. "I'll let you guys have a moment. I'll be in your room, Alec. It was nice to meet you both." she says as she backs out of the room and goes to Alec's. Alec watches her leave then turns to us and sits on the couch. Jace and I sit on the love seat and Jace pulls me close beside him, like he doesn't want to let me get too far away. Alec looks at us and this time I let Jace explain why we're here. I look at him and squeeze his hand. He glances down at me and I nod my head in Alec's direction for him to start. Jace clears his throat and turns back to Alec who is waiting for us to start talking with his eyebrows raised.

"Alec, Clary and I are going to have a baby." I watch Alec's reaction as Jace continues. "And we're going to move in together. We'll start looking for something soon, but we wanted to tell you as soon as possible."

Alec just stares at us for a moment and then he begins to smile. "I cannot believe you're going to be a father, Jace. I never thought I would ever see you settle down, but look at you…." And then he looks at me and says, "Clary, I don't know what you did, but this is a side to Jace my mom has been waiting for."

I smile and glance at Jace, he frowns at Alec but starts grinning before long.

"Where do you want to move to?" Alec asks us.

"Somewhere close. Clary wants to be close to Jon and Isabelle." Jace says and I feel my eyes burn at the mention of Jon. _What the hell? Why do I keep crying about my brother?_ Alec nods.

"Sara? Can you come here for a second?" Alec calls out.

Sara walks into the living room and stands next to the couch and looks at Alec in confusion. Alec reaches up and takes her hand and pulls her down to sit on the couch.

"Jace and Clary are having a baby and moving in together. Right now, Clary lives next door with her brother and she doesn't want to move too far away from him." Alec tells her. Sara's eyes light up and then understanding crosses her face. She nods at Alec.

Alec turns back to us and smiles. "Sara and I have been discussing moving in together as well. I was thinking of moving in with her. Now seems like the perfect time to do it."

Jace smiles and looks at me. "That means we can move in here together, if you want I mean."

"Yeah, I want. Are you sure Alec? We don't want you to do anything you don't want to." I say turning to Alec.

"We're very sure. Aren't we Sara?"

"Yes we are. And congratulations on the baby and everything." she says smiling warmly at us. After a few minutes of small talk, Jace and I go back to my apartment and go to my room. We get in the bed and just hold each other. I am so incredibly tired. Just before I drift off to sleep, I hear Jace whisper against my cheek.

"I love you. Both of you."

o.O.o

JPOV

I don't know why I wake up so early. I glance at the clock beside the bed. It reads 5:46. I turn my head and look out the window. I see the moon hanging low in the sky. I run a hand over my face and gaze down at Clary sleeping beside me. When she told me she was pregnant, I was in shock. I hate to admit it, but for a brief moment I thought about the life I was going to have to leave and I felt a little bit of regret. The moment only lasted a few seconds because when I saw how scared Clary was and how panicked she was, I realized I had to be strong for her and the baby. I could do this and I will do this for her…. for us. Looking at her now, there is no doubt in my mind at all. She is what I want and just because things are feeling out of control right now, doesn't change that. I was serious when I told her I wanted to go to all the doctor appointments with her. I do. I wish I could've been with her when she found out. I can't imagine how she must've felt when the doctor told her and she was all alone. I feel her stirring and see her eyes flutter open. I stare into green.

"Hey. Why are awake? Are you okay?" she asks, her voice thick with sleep.

I smile at her and move a curl over her shoulder and gently brush her cheek with my fingertips. "I'm fine, baby. I just couldn't sleep and I enjoy watching you sleep." I say quietly.

She frowns and pulls herself up on her elbow. "Are you changing your mind?" she whispers.

"No. Clary listen to me." I say sitting up and taking her face in my hands. "I'm not going to leave you. I'm not going anywhere you're not. Please believe me." I say staring into her eyes. She closes hers and inhales a breath through her nose and releases it. Opening them, I see they're shining with unshed tears.

"I'm trying to believe you. It's just I can't stop feeling like I've trapped you and one day you'll begin to resent me for this life. I feel it all the time and I dream about it every night. This feeling never leaves. Everything is spinning out of control and I can't stop it. You're going from dating different girls every other day to a serious relationship to being a father in just a few months. I'm just waiting for you to realize it." she says in a small voice. It breaks my heart to hear how deep her fears are. I wish I could take them from her, but the only thing I can do is be here and show her my love and I guess in time, she'll start to believe it.

"I love you, baby. I will love you as long as I have breath in my body. You mean everything to me." I say leaning in to kiss her. I kiss her with as much passion as I can, with as much love as I can. She kisses me back and in hers I feel her fear. I keep kissing her trying to make her forget her fears and feel something else. It doesn't take long before I feel the change. Instead of fear, I feel hope and love. I don't stop until we can't breathe. Even then I continue to kiss her wherever I can. She clutches me closer and I move back to her mouth.

My hands wander her body, her still flat stomach, her hips, and her chest causing her to moan softly. That sound fuels me to continue. It's been so long since we were like this together.

"Jace…." she breathes and it just about drives me insane. I want her so bad.

"What is it baby? Tell me what you want. I'll do anything for you." I say before attacking her neck, shoulder, and just below her ear, biting softly and causing her back to arch. I feel her hands skimming down my body and then they slip inside my boxers and I shudder.

"I want these off and I want you to take my clothes off and I want to feel you. Now." she says low in my ear. I don't waste another second. I rip our clothes off and I position myself. I look at her and she nods.

"Go ahead. I'm already pregnant so we don't have to worry about that for a while."

I smirk at her and enter her and we both release a sigh. I move and the feeling I have right now is euphoric. I keep moving in and out while watching Clary. Her eyes are closed and her lips are slightly parted. She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen. She opens her eyes and leans up and kisses me. We move together and I feel her tightening around me. I go faster and we come down together, breathing heavily and happily. That was amazing. Then I start to worry that I may have hurt her or the baby. I turn to her and she is smiling.

"Did I hurt you or….?" I ask uncertainly.

She giggles and I can't help but smile at that wonderful sound. "No. We're fine. Better than fine actually. Thank you. I didn't realize how much I missed you."

"I missed you, too, baby. God, I love you." I say and kiss her because I can't seem to stop touching her or kissing her. She giggles again and glances at the clock.

"We still have a while before we need to get up. We should try to go back to sleep." she says and yawns.

I laugh softly and wrap my arms around her and bring her flush against me. "Go to sleep, baby." I say and kiss her temple. She snuggles with me and lets out a contented sigh. And then she's asleep. I stroke her hair for a while and then I close my eyes and dream about the girl in my arms and the baby that's growing inside her.

o.O.o

The blaring alarm wakes me from a peaceful sleep. It's been so long since I slept that soundly. I turn my head and kiss the underside of Jace's throat. He shifts and pulls me on top of him with his hands resting on my back. I lay my head in the crook of his neck and breathe in his scent. I hold myself up on my elbows beside his head and look down at him.

"I love you so much, Jace. Thank you for last night or rather this morning. It made me forget everything for a while and I needed that." I say softly.

He smiles angelically and pushes my hair back and reaches up to kiss me. "It was my pleasure. I'm willing anytime you need it, you know that." he says with a cocky smile. I've missed that smile.

"You are insatiable." I say rolling my eyes and attempting to get off of him, but he grabs me and sits up with me making me straddle his lap.

"And you love every minute of it, too." he says and kisses me again, this time slower making me tingle from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

"That I do. And as much as I'm enjoying this, we need to get ready for work. We can continue this later." I say and climb off of him. This time he lets me go, but he squeezes my ass as I pass by him. I glare at him and he smirks back at me. We get dressed and I go to the bathroom to work on my hair and make-up while he goes to the kitchen for coffee. A few minutes later, he brings me a steaming cup of goodness and smiles.

"You look beautiful." he says at my reflection in the mirror. I roll my eyes and turn toward him wrapping my arms around his waist and looking up at him.

"You're crazy, you know that right?" I say narrowing my eyes at him. He leans down and kisses me.

"I don't want to go to work today. I want to stay with you." he says, his hands rubbing up and down my spine.

"I know. I don't want to either, but I've already missed a lot of work lately so I need to go. Besides, I'll need to ask off early for my appointment next week so I'm going to have to tell her what's going on." I say with a sigh.

"When should we tell our parents?" he asks softly.

"Not until after next week's appointment. It doesn't seem real to me yet and after that it probably will. And I just need some time to accept it myself before I try to get them to, you know." I answer with a shrug.

"It'll be okay, baby. I promise." he says to reassure me.

"I'm scared." I whisper staring at his chest.

"What are you scared of?" he asks quietly.

"Everything."

He lifts my chin and looks into my eyes. "I'm here." is all he says and he kisses me.

We continue getting ready and he drives me to work. I kiss him good-bye and go into the gallery. Telling Libby was not as difficult as telling the others and she seemed genuinely excited for me. I tried to match her enthusiasm, but failed. I wonder if I'll ever feel excitement about this or if something's wrong with me. Unfortunately, I have no one to ask about this. I would ask the doctor if this is normal feelings but Jace will be there and I don't want him to know about this. It would probably disgust him as it does me. I try to spend the rest of the day forgetting about my problems and doing the tasks set out for me. But that is not as easy as it seems. I want to forget again like I did this morning when I was with Jace. When it's almost time to go home, I feel fidgety. I can't wait to get home and have him make me forget. Make me feel something other than these feelings of fear and regret and anger.

Finally, Libby says I can leave and I practically run out of there. I begin to walk home as fast as I can when a car pulls up beside me and stops. Jace steps out of the driver's side and jogs up to me.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asks with a teasing tone.

I launch myself at him and crash my lips to his. He catches me and pulls me against him and kisses me back. When he pulls back, he smiles.

"Hi." I say.

He laughs and replies, "Hi." He grabs my hand and pulls me to the car, opening the car door for me. I get in and watch him walk around the car and get in too. He drives us to the apartment and I lean over the console and begin kissing his neck, his ear, his jaw, while my hands drift down until they touch the inside of his thigh.

"Mmmm….What's going on baby?" he asks shakily.

"I just missed you and I want you right now." I say in between kisses to his neck, rubbing in between his legs.

"Let's go upstairs then." he groans out.

"Too far." I murmer. I climb over the console and lower myself in his lap, thankful I wore a skirt today. My mouth finds his and I begin kissing him roughly. He moans and moves his hands up my shirt to my boobs. Slipping under the bra, he rubs and massages them. This time I moan and I reach down in between us and unbutton his jeans. I pull out his very erect member and slide my panties to the side and slip onto it. Jace's hands go to my hips and he helps guide me up and down slowly, but I don't want slow, so I increase the tempo until we're both panting and gasping and moaning.

"Jesus, Clary…." he says throwing his head back. I keep going until I feel it. That slow burn erupting in the pit of my stomach. Jace pulls me tighter and I know he is feeling it too. I ride out wave after wave while kissing him. I go back to my seat and we sit there for a few minutes adjusting our clothes and cleaning up. Eventually, we get out. Jace wraps his arm around my waist and bends down to kiss me on the temple.

"I don't know what that was, but I really, really liked it. I should make you miss me more often." Jace says laughing lightly.

"Uh huh. Now let's go eat. I'm starving." I say as we continue into the apartment building together.

_**I think Clary may be in experiencing some hormonal changes, huh? Maybe not, it's Jace, so we would all probably be like that with him pregnant or not! :) Next chapter is the doctor appointment so, we'll see their reaction to that - so**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	26. Chapter 25

_**Here's hopefully a better chapter than the last one. It was more filler. . . .so with that being said, this chapter has the doctor appointment so, yeah - hope you enjoy it and don't forget to let me know what you think about everything!**_

_**Cassandra Clare is the genious who owns these lovely characters, but not the music - no the music belongs to the awesome artists! :)**_

**Chapter 25:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Young Blood by The Naked and Famous_

_Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World_

_Ocean Wide by The Afters_

_Without Reason by The Frays_

I began packing up my room a few days ago with Jace's help. At the moment, he has gone to the store to get me some frozen burritos because right now that's what I want to eat. I hear the door open and Isabelle pops her head into my almost bare room.

"Hey girl." Isabelle comes into the room and hands me a bag.

"What's this?" I ask peering into the bag to see a book.

"I thought you might want to read about what's going on with your body, so I got you that book."

**_'_****_What to Expect When You're Expecting' _**

"Thanks, Isabelle. After my appointment tomorrow, I should know how far along I am and can start there and read." I smile at her and give her a hug. She smiles back and looks around the room.

"It's strange that you'll be moving out. I'm going to miss you." she says looking back at me.

"Isabelle, I'm just moving next door. Besides, you're with my brother and I'm with yours. I think between the two, we'll see each other at every family function, yours or mine." Turning back to my boxes, I place some more of my belongings into them.

"I know. I'm being ridiculous. Where is my brother anyway? Since you told him, I don't think he's left your side except to go to work."

I snort and say, "He wouldn't leave then if I didn't make him." Shaking my head, "He's gone to get me frozen burritos."

Isabelle scrunches up her nose. "Ew. Those are never good. Why on Earth do you want those nasty things?"

I shrug. "I dunno. I guess your niece or nephew likes them." I say and stick my tongue out at her.

She laughs and we hear Jace come in and call me from the kitchen.

"Clary, I'm back with your burritos. You want one now, baby?" he asks sweetly. I look over at Isabelle and she snickers.

"You are so whipped." she says coming into the kitchen in front of me. Jace glares at her.

"I am not." he tries to deny, but I come in and shake my head with a smile.

"You so are." I walk up to him and wrap my arms around his neck and stand on my tip toes to kiss him but he stubbornly turns his head away from me.

"Come on, babe. You wouldn't leave me without a kiss now would you?" I whisper in his ear that's turned toward me. "If you kiss me now, I'll let you do whatever you want to me later." I purr in his ear. He turns his head toward me and pulls me tight against him and a low growl comes from his chest and he kisses me. As he pulls away, I give him a smirk.

"You're cruel." Lowering his voice, "And I can't wait until later." I shiver and turn to Isabelle who's looking at us with a mixture of disgust and amusement.

"Told you so." she says and we go into the living room while Jace makes me a burrito.

o.O.o

Jace picks me up at work and we drive to the address on the appointment card. My leg keeps bouncing up and down nervously the closer we get. Jace reaches over and places a warm hand on my knee to keep it from moving. I glance over and he gives me a warm smile.

"Relax, baby." Turning back to the road, I sigh.

"I know. I'm just nervous for some reason. It's about to be real and I don't know how I'll handle it."

"_We_ will handle it. You won't have to do anything alone." he says picking up my hand and kissing the back of it.

He parks the car and comes around and opens my door, leading me out of the car. Side by side we enter the medical building and go to the door with Dr. Branwell's name on it. I sign in and Jace and I sit in the waiting room. I pick up a magazine without really looking at it and realize it's all about birthing options and things I really don't want to think about right this second, so I toss it back and lace my fingers with Jace's and try to breathe normally. He leans over and brushes his lips against my cheek and tells me he loves me. I give him a tight smile and try to focus on his hand in mine. _How the hell is he so calm?_

Just as I regain control of my breathing, I hear my name being called and Jace stands and pulls me to my feet with him. Slowly I walk toward the nurse with the friendly smile and follow her to the exam room. I climb up on the table and Jace stands next to me. The nurse takes my blood pressure and asks routine questions and leaves the room telling us the doctor will be in shortly. I look around the room and see posters of pregnant women, diagrams of the womb, and different stages of pregnancy posters. I take in a deep shuddering breath and look at Jace. His eyes are on the floor and he looks a little paler that normal. Just as I'm about to ask if he's okay, a light knock on the door sounds and in walks Dr. Branwell.

"Hello again, Clary. I see you've brought company this time. I'm Dr. Branwell." She sticks out her hand toward Jace and he shakes it.

"Jace." His voice rough. He clears his throat and glances at me.

"It's nice to meet you, Jace. Well you two, today I'm going to do an ultrasound to see how far along you are and to hear the heartbeat. Are you ready?" she asks kindly.

I can't do anything but nod.

""Good, now lie back on the table." I do as she asks and she comes over and pulls my shirt up and tucks it under my boobs and pulls my pants down as low as they will go, exposing my entire torso. She then squirts some cool gel onto my belly and places something that looks like a checkout scanner from the grocery store on my belly in the gel. Turning on a screen, she begins moving the scanner thing around and around my belly. I glance at Jace and he is steadily staring at the screen. I return my gaze back to the screen and then I hear something that sounds like a really fast whooshing sound. On the screen something the size of my pinky nail pulses.

"Aha. There you are. That right there." she says pointing to the pulsing fingernail, "is your baby and the sound you're hearing is the heartbeat. I would say by your measurements that you are around 8 weeks pregnant. That would make you due around the middle of May."

My breath gets caught in my throat and tears come to my eyes. I blink them away so I can see the screen. Oh my God. I have a living thing growing inside of me and I can see it and hear it right now. I look at Jace and his eyes have not wavered from the screen once. I need him to say something.

"Jace?" My voice small, and my hand shakes as I reach over to grab his. He finally looks away and down at me, his eyes wide. I see fear and realization in them. My heart plummets in my chest and for a second I think it may have quit beating. "Dr. Branwell, can you give us a minute, please?" I ask shakily not taking my eyes off of Jace.

"Of course, dear. We were finished anyway. On your way out, make another appointment. I want to see you in a month. See you soon." And then she's gone, leaving me alone with Jace.

I wipe off my stomach and sit up, pulling my shirt down. "Jace, will you please say something? Anything!"

"I don't know what to say." My eyes sting again and I get up and walk to the door. I open it and go to the desk, telling them I will call and make an appointment tomorrow. I walk out of the office and toward the street, vaguely aware Jace is following me. Instead of turning toward his car, I walk the opposite way.

"Where are you going?" he finally asks.

"I need some air. I'll see you at home later." I say without looking back at him and continue walking.

"Clary, wait. What's wrong?"

I spin around and face him. "What's wrong? Everything is wrong. What's right? I knew you were way to calm and accepting of this, but now after seeing and hearing it, it's real and it's obvious you can't deal. Just go home, Jace." I say weakly. "I can't do this right now, okay?" I say, my voice breaking at the end. I'm about to lose it and I need to get away from him.

He reaches out and grabs my wrist so I can't turn away. "I'm not going anywhere. I am dealing with this. Why do think I'm not?"

"Because in there, you were in shock or something and when I asked you to say something, you didn't. I needed to hear….to hear….I don't know, something." I raise my hands in the air and then let them fall and hit the sides of my legs in frustration. He pulls me to him and at first I try to resist but the pressure in my chest makes me weak, so I stop fighting him and sag into him. He brushes his hands down my back and kisses the top of my head.

"I'm sorry, Clary. I didn't know what to say. All I could think about was my child is right there. I could see and hear him. It is real and I didn't expect to feel so much this early. I'm scared, yes, only because I don't want to screw him up, but I also feel so much love for him already. This baby is ours. _We_ made it together. That, to me is the most amazing thing I will probably ever do and I get to do it with you. I love you so much, baby."

I'm at a loss for words. I hold onto him tighter and cry. We hold each other in the middle of the sidewalk for a while and then I pull back and look up at him. He smiles and pushes my hair away from my face.

"It could be a girl, you know." I say thickly from all of the crying. He looks at me confused. "You kept saying him. You could see _him_ and hear _him_, well it could be a girl."

He lets out a soft laugh and kisses me on the lips. "Or her." he says against my mouth. "Come on, let's go home and I'll fix you a burrito."

My eyes light up and I grab his hand and we walk back toward his car. I'll be having a baby in May. Simon died in May. I look down at my hands and close my eyes thinking about my best friend.

"Hey. What is it?" Jace asks trailing his fingers along my cheek.

"Just thinking about Simon. The doctor said the baby's due in May and Simon died in May." I look over at Jace and he gives me a sad smile.

When we get home, I sit down on the couch and pick up the book Isabelle gave me. I flip it to the 8 week section and begin reading. Jace sits down next to me and hands me my burrito.

"Isabelle bought this book for me." I say showing Jace the cover. "And it says mood swings are common in pregnancy at this stage as well as food cravings. I guess that's why I've been crying so easily. I mean, just thinking about Jon makes me want to cry." I say getting teary-eyed. I laugh and wipe my eyes. "See?"

Jace laughs and kisses me on the cheek just as Jon walks in. I look up at him and he sees me with tears and he rushes over.

"Cherry-berry, what's wrong?" he asks with concern in his voice. Jace and I laugh together. Jon just looks confused.

"Apparently, this pregnancy has my hormones going crazy and I'm highly emotional. I was just telling Jace every time I think of you I cry and then I did because I mentioned your name." And tears start forming in my eyes just looking at him. He sits down on the other side of me and hugs me.

"That is so weird but I love you, anyway." he chuckles in my ear then pulls back. "Well? How did the appointment go?"

"I'm 8 weeks pregnant, due sometime in May. We saw it. It's the size of my pinky nail and we heard the heartbeat. It's official. I'm having a baby." I say with little enthusiasm.

"We're having a baby." Jace corrects me.

"Right. Sorry." I murmur.

"So, when are you gonna tell mom and Luke?"

I look down and twist my fingers together nervously and shrug. Jon sighs and pats me on the leg.

"What do you think about telling them all at the same time? We could invite your parents over to mine and announce it then." Jace suggests. I look over at Jon and he scratches his chin.

"That might be a good idea. Your birthday is coming up, we could all get together for that and then you could tell them. We'd all be there to support you."

I nod my head. "Yeah, okay. I hope they'll be alright with this."

"Everything will be fine. They won't want to ruin your birthday so this will be perfect."

"Just do it before you start getting fat." Jon says and I smack him on the arm as he jumps up to move away from me. I glare at him and stick my tongue out at him. He laughs and goes in the kitchen.

"Asshat." I mutter and Jace chuckles beside me.

_**So, there you have it! What do you think? Thanks so much!**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	27. Chapter 26

_**Hi everyone! I just want to take a little time to thank all of you awesome people who are reviewing, favoriting, and/or following - you seriously make my day! So on to the chap ;)It's time to tell the parents so I hope you like it!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**You know the drill of who owns what by now! :) **_

**Chapter 26:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Wake up by Arcade Fire_

_With Wings by Amy Stroup_

_No Way Out by Rie Sinclair & Mike Suby_

_Better by Matthew Mayfield_

JPOV

I lie with Clary until she falls asleep. After reading that book with Clary tonight, I realize I'm going to have to be careful with what I say to her for a while. She's so emotional and things set her off so easily but I don't care. She's carrying my baby. Our baby. I still can't believe we made something like that together. Even if wasn't planned, I could never regret it. I plan on asking her to marry me before we tell our parents but I'm afraid she'll say no. Not because she doesn't love me or doesn't want to marry me, but because she'll think I'm doing it only because she's pregnant. That's not the case though. I wanted to ask her before she got pregnant; I just have to get her to believe me. Somehow….

I untangle myself from her gently and silently walk out of her room. I go to Jon's door and knock quietly hoping he's still awake and that I didn't interrupt something. The door opens and Jon stares back at me with a confused look on his face. He turns back to the bed and I look past him and see Isabelle asleep in his bed. He turns back to me and walks out closing the door behind him softly. I follow him to the living room and sit down across from him.

"What's up, buddy?"

"Um. I wanted to talk to you about something. You know how Clary reacted when I suggested we move in together?" He nods and I continue. "Well, I'm afraid she'll react the same way when I ask her to marry me. How am I going to convince her it's not because of the baby?"

Jon looks at me for a second and says, "Jace, buddy. You have chosen to fall in love with the most stubborn female on the planet. Getting Clary to see reason is like an act of God. I know this from experience. I wish I had some insight into this for you, I really do, but I think you're just going to have to ask her and hope she says yes. You and I both know she loves you."

I nod my head and sigh. "This is going to be impossible." putting my head in my hands. Jon gets up and pats me on the back.

"Good luck man." he says and turns back to his room.

"Thanks." I mumble and go back to Clary's room. I sit in her desk chair for a few minutes and watch her sleep. Tomorrow, I'll ask Isabelle to help me find the perfect ring for her. I get up and slide in beside her and lay my hand on her stomach. It still feels the same, but I know it won't be this way for long. I kiss her cheek and she turns toward me and murmurs my name. I smile tugs at the corners of my mouth and I fall asleep.

At breakfast, I was able to get Isabelle alone for a second and asked her to meet me at lunch to go ring shopping for Clary. She squealed in excitement and said she'd meet me. I pull up at the jewelry shop Isabelle told me to go to. I see my sister walk in and I jump out to join her.

"Hey." I say looking around at all the ring designs. Clary needs one that is beautiful and simple like her.

"Hey big bro. I am so excited! When are you going to ask her?" Looking at the rings, she picks one up and holds it to the light and puts it back.

"Soon, but she'll probably say no." She turns to me and looks shocked.

"Why would you think that? You guys love each other and you're having a baby now….oh….I see. She'll think that's the only reason. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No, but thanks. She'll say yes eventually." I pick up a ring and hold it up. Isabelle sees it and gasps. I look at her and she has her hand over her mouth.

"That's the one, Jace. I can see Clary wearing that one, can't you?" We both look at the ring and I smile.

"Yes, I can. I'm getting this one." I call over the clerk and tell her what I want. Leaving the store with the ring in my pocket, I now have to come up with a plan.

I pick Clary up from work and we drive home. When we park, I feel the need to just ask her.

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" I ask trying not to let my nervousness show. She studies me for a second and then takes my hand. I lead her to the park next door and she goes to sit on a swing. I sit beside her and for a few minutes we both sit there and swing slowly in comfortable silence.

"Spit it out, Jace." she says turning to look at me. "I know something's on your mind."

"Is mind reading a pregnancy syndrome that I should be aware of?" I tease. She laughs and shakes her head.

"No, I just know you and I see in your eyes that something is up. So tell me." I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Getting up from the swing, I kneel in front of her and take her hands in mine. I look into her eyes and reach up to cup her cheek.

"Clary, I love you so much. I have since I met you. I know things are happening fast, but I have never thought twice about this. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you months ago." I pull the ring out of my pocket and look back at her. Her hand flies to her mouth and she gasps. "Clary, you would make me the happiest man on Earth if you would marry me. We don't have to do anything now, but I want you to know, you are the one I'm meant to be with forever. Please….Will you marry me?"

"Jace….That was beautiful. You know I would marry you. But not because of our situation. I love you and I know you love me. We will one day, but I want it to be for the right reasons, not because you feel you have to."

I close my eyes and I feel her hands on my face. Opening my eyes, I say, "Clary, I am asking for the right reasons. But I knew you probably wouldn't want to right now. It's okay. We'll get engaged when you feel ready." I stand up and bring her with me. I kiss her forehead and wrap my arms around her. She clings to me and I look down at her and she has tears in her eyes.

"Baby, really, it's fine." I try to soothe her.

"No it's not." she wails.

"Shhh….Look at me." When she does, I continue. "I promise, I'm not mad or sad or anything. I get it, I really do. Come on. Do you want a burrito?" Burritos always make her feel better. She sniffs and shakes her head.

"No, I really want some cupcakes. Do you think we can go get some?"

I laugh and pull her into my side and we walk to the store because my girl wants cupcakes.

When we decided to tell our parents together, I had called my mom and asked if we could celebrate Clary's birthday there and invite her parents to come. Of course she said yes and Clary invited her parents to come for her birthday and meet the Lightwood's. Everything was set up and now today is the day.

Clary wakes up and I greet her with breakfast in bed and Jon and Isabelle come in with presents for her. She seems happy on the outside but I know she isn't really feeling it. Jon knows it too. He keeps giving her sympathetic looks. When they leave and it's just the two of us, I climb in the bed beside her.

"Happy Birthday baby, I love you." I say kissing her on the lips for a second. "Are you nervous about later? Is that why you're not happy today?" I ask tucking a curl behind her ear.

"What makes you think I'm not happy?" averting her eyes. I tuck my fingers under her chin and make her look at me.

"Because I know you, too." She sighs and gets up and pulls a box out of a bigger box of her things that she'll be bringing to our place. Coming over to the bed, she sits beside me and looks down at the box.

"This is my Simon box. After the accident, I put anything in here that reminded me of him. Most if it is birthday and Christmas presents he gave me over the years." Opening the box, she sets it in between us and begins rummaging through it. There are necklaces, bubblegum machine rings, pictures, and trinkets.

"Every year on my birthday, Simon would get me a ridiculous present that was an inside joke that only a few people would get. This is the first birthday he's missed since I was five years old. And as happy as I am right now with you, part of me died that night, you know. You don't know how much you help me. I don't know what I would be like today if it weren't for you. I love you so much and I can't thank you enough for being here for me."

I pull her to me and hold her close. "I would do anything for you. I will be here as long as you want me." I whisper. I place a kiss on the top of her head and we sit like that until a knock on the door interrupts us. Jon pokes his head in.

"I just wanted to check on you Dew Drop." Then seeing the things on the bed, he comes in the room and hugs her. "He wouldn't want you to be sad on your birthday, berry." Jon pulls back and cups Clary's face in his hands looking at her.

"I know. I was just showing Jace the box. I'm okay, really. I'm just overly emotional remember?" Jon kisses her forehead and Clary comes and sits on my lap.

"We need to get a move on, shortcake. We need to get over to the Lightwood's." Jon says as he makes his way to the door. Clary and I get up and get dressed.

o.O.o

We drive over to the Lightwood's together in Jace's car. When we get there, I notice Alec is already here and hopefully Sara is with him. We walk in and are greeted by Max.

"Happy Birthday, Clary!" he sings, pulling me into a huge bear hug.

"Easy, there buddy. You don't want to break her." Jace says detaching Max from around me. Jace gives me a look to make sure I wasn't hurt. I smile and shake my head telling him we were both fine. He relaxes and holds me around the waist, pulling me into the living room behind Isabelle and Jon. Everyone is already there, including my parents.

"Happy Birthday!" they all shout when I walk in. A huge grin takes over my face and I hug everyone. I look at Jace and he is smiling widely watching my reaction. I go up to him and stretch on my tip toes and kiss his waiting lips.

"You ended up surprising me anyway. You'll be rewarded for this later." I whisper in his ear. He smiles crookedly at me and kisses me chastely on the mouth. I look around and conversations are going on all around. Jace goes to talk to Alec and Jon while Isabelle, Sara, and I get something to drink. My mom and Maryse come up to us and mom hugs me.

"Let me see the ring, baby." Grabbing my left hand, she looks at it and then up at me in confusion.

"I thought you were getting engaged and that's why we were all here. That and for your birthday of course." Mom says still looking confused.

"Mom, why would you think I was getting engaged?" I ask glancing at Jace. He is busy playing around with Max.

"Well, when Jace came to us to ask to marry you, I assumed he had asked you by now. That was months ago." she says looking at me strangely.

"Mom, when did he ask you?" I look at Isabelle and she averts her eyes as does Maryse.

"It was the beginning of August. Why?" I don't answer her; instead I look across the room at Jace. When he asked me to marry him, it wasn't because I was pregnant. He asked my parents before I even knew about the pregnancy. And I said no.

I walk across the room until I'm standing behind Jace. He turns around and smiles at me.

"Did you really do that?" I ask with tears in my eyes. I vaguely notice the room getting quiet.

"Did I really do what?" he asks cupping my face and wiping my tears with his thumbs.

"Did you ask my parents to marry me before we found out?" His eyes soften and he nods his head.

"I thought you were just asking out of obligation. I didn't know. I'm so sorry, Jace." I say, tears streaming down my face and over his hands. He pulls the ring out of his pocket and a choked sob escapes my throat as he gets down on his knee, oblivious to the audience in the room.

"Well, since now you know how long I've wanted this, will you marry me?" he asks looking up at me through his eyelashes. I drop to my knees in front of him and crash my lips to his. When I break away, I breathe out a shaky "Yes." He beams a beautiful smile and places the ring on my finger and kisses the ring. The room erupts in cheers and clapping. Jace pulls me up and we stand in front of our family. Everyone is smiling and hugging us. Jace looks at me and I nod.

"We have something else we want to tell all of you." Jace looks at me and I glance at Jon and Isabelle who nod and give us encouraging smiles.

"Jace and I are having a baby."

Silence. I glance at my mom and she is frozen next to Luke. Then someone clears a throat and Alec appears in front of us and hugs us.

"Well, I think that is wonderful. A new addition to our family. Congratulations!" And that's what it takes to break the ice. Everyone engulfs us in hugs and congratulations. My mom and Luke come to us last. Jon comes to stand on my other side.

"Mom?" I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I can't believe my baby is having a baby. Do I look old enough to be a grandmother to you?" Then she pulls me in for a hug and whispers in my ear. "You'll make a great mother and as long as you're happy, I'm happy for you." I pull back and wipe my eyes and smile at her.

"Thanks, mom." She pats me on the cheek and moves to hug Jace while Luke squeezes me.

"I'll be the coolest grandpa ever. Congratulations, baby girl." He goes to shake Jace's hand. I feel an arm go around my shoulders and look at my brother.

"See, you got all of us. Feeling better?" he asks looking around the room at all of our family.

"Yeah, I think everything's falling into place. Thanks, Jon. I love you." I say holding him around the waist.

"Love you, too, Berry." He kisses me on the head and goes back to Isabelle's side. Jace sneaks up beside me and kisses my temple.

"I love you, baby."

I reach up and kiss my fiancé. "I love you."

We resume the celebration. My back starts to ache from standing so long so I go and sit on the couch. My mom and Maryse join me after a few minutes.

"So, tell us. When will we be grandparents?" mom asks grabbing my hands in hers and giving them a gentle squeeze.

"May."

"Are you guys going to find out what you're having?" Maryse asks smiling warmly at me.

I look over at Jace. "We haven't really talked about that. We just found out a couple of weeks ago. It's just starting to feel real."

"Well, I think a shopping day is in order. Wait….are you going to stay at Jon's?"

"No. I'm moving in with Jace, next door. Alec is graciously moving out." I say with a smile.

"Well, we'll need a crib, changing table, rocking chair, . . . ." I tune out my mother's voice. I don't want to think about everything we'll need for the baby. Then I'm brought back into the conversation when Isabelle and Sara join us.

"Clary? Did you hear me?" mom asks me looking a little worried.

I smile sheepishly. "No, sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked when you wanted to get married. Before or after the baby?"

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't know mom. Um I guess after. I don't want to be fat in my wedding dress." I look over at Jace and he looks up and smiles at me. I return his smile and tip my head slightly to let him know I want to get away. He understands because he comes over and grabs my hand, pulling me up.

"Do you ladies mind if I borrow my fiancé for a while?" he asks flashing them a charming smile. He leads me outside to the garden.

"Thanks." I say quietly. "They were just asking me too many questions and I needed to clear my head."

"What were they asking you?" Tucking a curl behind my ear, he leans down and kisses me.

"When we're getting married, are we going to find out what the baby is, and things like that. We haven't talked about this stuff yet."

"Well, what do you want to do? Because as long as I get both of you, I'm fine with whatever." I smile at him. I'm so incredibly lucky.

"I want to wait until after the baby is born to get married and I want to find out what we're having."

"Okay. Then we'll find out and get married next year." I reach up and kiss him. He deepens the kiss and I suddenly can't wait to get home.

"How much longer do we have to stay?" I murmur against his lips.

"Hmmm. . . . I think we've stayed long enough. Let's tell everyone we're leaving and I'll take you home and ravish your body." I giggle and we run inside to quickly say good-bye.

_**So was the proposal okay? I wrote that, then re-wrote it only to change it back to the way it was so I dunno. . . . Let me know what you guys think. **_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	28. Chapter 27

_**Hello! Can I Just say that I cannot wait for next Tuesday so I can get my hands on City of Heavenly Fire! Only one more week! EEK! Sorry about all of the exclamation marks! :) This chapter has some drama in it so I hope you drama junkies will get a little satisfaction from it! Enjoy ;)**_

_**I own my car - wait not even that :( All characters and music are other people's**_

**Chapter 27:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Take Me the Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson_

_Where the Road Meets the Sun by Katie Herzig & Matthew Perryman_

_Streetmap by Athlete_

_Off I Go by Greg Laswell_

I peer at myself in the mirror with my shirt pulled up. I turn to the side and look again. My stomach is curving slightly outward and is rock hard. I rub it absently thinking back to my last doctor appointment. I had asked Dr. Branwell when I would start showing more. She laughed and told me not to worry because the baby was growing and progressing as it should and that because of my small frame, it would take a little longer to show. She also said she may be able to tell what we're having at the next appointment. I sigh and pull my shirt back down and walk into mine and Jace's bedroom. He is lounging on the bed reading a book. He looks up at me as I climb up beside him.

"Hey, baby."

I kiss his waiting lips. "Hi." I snuggle up beside him and close my eyes, breathing him in. I moved in about a month ago. Right after my birthday. The room that was Alec's is now the nursery. Right now it's empty, but my mom keeps after me about buying things to go in there. I told her I wanted to wait until we found out if it's a boy or girl because I wanted to paint it first.

Jace rubs small circles on my back and it relaxes me further. I look up and smile at him.

"What do you hope the baby will be?" I ask, wanting to know what his thoughts about it are.

"It really doesn't matter to me as long as it's healthy. What about you? What do you want?" He leans in to kiss me on the head.

"It doesn't matter to me either. But every time I picture it, I see a girl, so I think it's a girl." I say as I rub across my stomach.

Jace places his hand on top of mine. "Well, I think it's a boy. I guess we'll just have to see who is right." he says with a grin.

"I guess we will." I say with a laugh.

The air is getting colder on my walks to work on the days Jace can't bring me. Today, the November wind blows my curly hair all around my head. Jace had to go out of town for a night for work and he left early this morning. I'm going to miss him so much, but Isabelle said she'd come over to keep me company and I'm sure Jon will too. When I get to the gallery, Libby is on the phone. She waves me over to the desk with a smile. I sit down in one of the chairs in front of the desk and wait until she finishes. After hanging up, she looks up at me and smiles.

"How are you feeling, Clary?"

I shrug and reply, "I'm fine. A little tired, but mostly I feel good."

"That's good. I was just on the phone with a potential client. He wants to see some of our work to see if he wants to invest in some pieces. He'll be coming by later to look through the gallery and this portfolio." She hands me the portfolio. I take it and sit it in my lap. "Unfortunately, I have to leave to take care of some things for Saturday's show. I told him that you would be able to assist him when he comes. "

"Sure. Whatever you need." Libby smiles and gets up, grabbing her coat and purse.

"I'll see you tomorrow. After you finish with the client, feel free to lock up and go home for the day." I nod and wave at her. I spend some time cleaning the gallery and going through the portfolio Libby gave me. After a while, I start sketching while I wait for the client to come in. Around lunchtime, the bell over the door chimes. I get up to greet them and stop short, frozen. Standing before me is a man with golden blonde hair. My breath gets caught in my throat and I try to swallow the lump in my throat.

"Hello. You must be the young lady Ms. Nightshade told me about. I'm Stephen Herondale." He holds his hand out to me. I shake hands with him hoping he doesn't notice them trembling.

"I-I'm Clary. Uh, feel free to look around and on the desk is a portfolio for you to look through as well." I say nervously.

"I will, thank you." he says as he walks around looking at the displays. I take a minute to study him. He is tall, with muscular shoulders and long, slim fingers. I know those hands. This man is an older version of Jace. Not just in looks, but also in his mannerisms. How he walks, and talks, and even how he smiles. . . it's just like Jace. But it couldn't be.

The man, Stephen Herondale, walks to the desk and looks through the portfolio.

"What artist did this painting?" he asks. I walk over and peer down at the one he is looking at. It's one of my paintings I did of the view of the park outside my old window in Jon's apartment.

"Um, I did that one." I feel my cheeks turn red and glance at him.

He smiles crookedly, _just like Jace_, and says, "Do you have more things you've done? I would really like to see them."

I show him some of the things I have done from the back room, but not the one I did of Jace. He looks closely at each one and nods his head a few times.

"Thank you, Clary. You're a very talented artist and I really like your work. I'll be in touch soon." he says as he shakes my hand again and leaves. I walk to the window and watch him get in a silver car and drive away. I stand there for a few more minutes then I close the gallery and call Jon. I ask if I can borrow his car for a little while.

After picking up Jon's car, I drive over to Jace's parents' house. I pull up the driveway and get out. Taking a deep breath, I knock on the door and begin biting my thumb nail.

The door opens and a surprised Maryse stands on the other side.

"Clary? Is everything alright?" she asks with worry.

"Everything is fine; I just needed to talk to you about something. Is this a bad time?"

Maryse shakes her head and says, "Not at all. Please come on in." Moving to the side, I walk in to the foyer. Maryse closes the door and begins walking to the kitchen. Looking over her shoulder at me, she asks, "Do you want anything to eat? I made brownies last night for Max."

"No thank you. Well, maybe just one brownie." This baby loves sweets right now. She smiles and I sit down at the island and she places a brownie on a napkin in front of me with a glass of milk. I feel like a kid getting an after school snack from my mom. Maryse sits down across from me and folds her hands under her chin.

"So, what is it that you need to talk about?"

I look down at my hands that are clenched tightly in my lap and blow out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding.

"Um….I was at work and this guy came in to look at some of the pieces on display. He uh looked really familiar. Like too familiar to be a coincidence. Do you know a Stephen Herondale?" I ask watching Maryse's face carefully. She inhales sharply and her eyes grow wide and unfocused.

"He's come back." she whispers. I furrow my brow and lean forward.

"Who's come back?" Maryse looks at me and focuses on my face. Something in her face changes. She takes a deep breath, her eyes glazing over and she begins talking.

"Jace's mom, Celine, and I were best friends growing up. Michael Wayland moved next door to Celine in the seventh grade and the three of us became close friends. In high school, Celine met and fell in love with Stephen Herondale. They were together for two years." Maryse sighs. "Right before graduation, Stephen tells Celine that his family was moving to London and making him join the British Army. Celine was so heartbroken that she ended it with Stephen and never talked to him again." She pauses and closes her eyes. "About two months after graduation, Celine tells me she's pregnant and she was going to run away. Michael stopped her by telling her he loved her and he would be there for her and the baby, always. They got married and raised the baby together. Michael went to law school and introduced me to Robert." She smiles at the memory. "Michael worked his way up in the law firm and became a state prosecutor, working many high profile cases. One in particular ended up being deadly. The man he was working so hard to put away ordered a hit on Michael. They made it look like a home invasion, but we all know it wasn't. The men who actually did the killing were caught but refused to give their bosses name to the feds. Celine had put me as guardian of Jace in the will, but legalities got tied up and he was placed in foster care for a short time before I could get him. We adopted him a year after he came to live with us. We all love him just like he's one of us."

"Did Stephen ever find out about Jace?" I ask quietly, absorbing all this information.

"No, as far as I know, he's never been back to the city until now." Maryse looks drained after telling me Jace's tale.

"He needs to know. Both of them do." I say and Maryse frowns.

"I know. I think I'll start by contacting Stephen." she says rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"Here's the card he gave me with his number on it." Sliding the card across the granite, Maryse picks it up and stares at it. Her eyes meet mine and she nods her head in defeat. I stand up from the stool and awkwardly tell her good-bye and drive back to Jon's work to give him his car back.

After talking to Maryse, I look up Michael and Celine Wayland on the computer. I find out all sorts of information regarding Michael because of his job, but not so much about Celine. I look up information on their deaths and as I read through it, I see a name that makes my blood run cold in my veins. The person Michael Wayland was trying to put away and the one everyone thinks was responsible for his and Celine's deaths was Valentine Morgenstern. Valentine was a drug smuggler who had a list a mile long of federal offenses. What makes me feel like throwing up is the name Valentine Morgenstern. I have heard that name before. I've heard my mother say that name before, although not often. That is the name of my father. I sit there and stare at the screen for what seems like hours while absorbing what this means. My real father, whom I don't remember, killed Jace's parents. When that realization hits me, I jump up and run to the bathroom and throw up everything I've eaten today. I keep hacking into the toilet. I try to catch my breath but I can't. I start to panic. I claw at my throat. I hear the door open and I crawl on the bathroom floor and collapse.

**_Beep, Beep, Beep. . . ._**

That's what I hear. I try to open my eyes but they seem glued shut. I listen for more sounds and I hear a fast swooshing sound and soft breathing. The door opens and I feel the air shift to my side.

"Any changes?" I hear Jon ask.

A sigh. "No. None at all. I should've been home." Jace replies. His voice sounds strained.

"Take a break, Jace. Go get some coffee or something to eat. You haven't left her side since you got here. I'll stay with her. Isabelle and mom are in the cafeteria."

Jace must've agreed because I hear the door open and close. I feel soft pressure on my hand and something touching my hair.

"Come, on baby girl. Wake up." he whispers. I try to show him I hear him. With all my strength, I try to move my hand that he's holding.

A short intake of air and I hear his frantic voice.

"Clary! Do that again. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me." I do it again and Jon laughs breathlessly.

"Can you open your eyes, cherry?" I try and I see a sliver of light behind my eyelids. They flutter open the rest of the way and I blink a few times to clear away the haze.

"Oh my God!" Jon lays his head on my shoulder and squeezes my hand.

"Jon. . . ." My voice is hoarse. He looks up and he has tears in his eyes.

"Clary, we've been so worried about you and the baby." I think about the baby and I start to worry. The beeping machine starts going faster.

"The baby. . . ." Jon puts his hands on my face.

"Shh…. Calm down, Clare-bear. The baby is fine. I came in yesterday and found you passed out on the bathroom floor. I was so scared. Jace met us here and he hasn't left your side until just a few minutes ago. Do you remember what happened?"

I think back and I look at him confused. Just then my mom comes in and sees me awake and rushes to my side and hugs me.

"Clary! Thank God you're okay." I look at my mom and then I remember. Valentine Morgenstern. My heart rate increases again and I start gasping for air. My mother's eyes widen and both her and Jon work to calm me.

"W-What is our father's name?" I choke out.

"What? Clary, I don't understand. Why are you asking me this?" mom says clearly confused and uncomfortable with the subject.

"Just tell me mom."

"Clary. . . ."

"Mom!" I yell. "What is his name?" My mom looks to Jon and he shrugs. She turns her gaze back to me and sighs.

"Valentine. Valentine Morgenstern." I close my eyes and lean back further into the pillow.

"Clary, why do you want to know this now of all times?" Jon asks me, moving a curl off of my head. I take a deep breath and look at him.

"He was the one responsible for killing Jace's parents. His dad was the prosecutor for his case and he hired some people to kill him. Jon, our father killed Jace's parents."

My mother gasps and covers her mouth with her hands. Jon just looks at me stunned. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing.

"Are you going to tell Jace?"

Without opening my eyes, I say, "I'll have to but I don't know how I'm going to. I don't know if I'll be able to stand it if he leaves me."

My mom grabs my hand and presses it to her face. "He won't do that sweetheart. He loves you and you never even knew him. You weren't even a year old when I left him. Jon doesn't even remember him."

The door opens and Jace walks in with his head down. My breath catches and I breathe out his name. His head snaps up and his eyes meet mine. He stands frozen by the door for a second and then rushes to me engulfing me in his arms gently. Jon and mom silently slip out of the room. As Jace holds me I feel him shake against me. I try to pull back to look at him but he just holds me tighter. Tears flow down my face and we stay like that for a while, just wrapped up in each other.

"Clary, I thought….I thought I was going to lose you. You and the baby. I've never been so scared in my life." Jace says into my shoulder where his face is.

"Hey. Look at me." Jace slowly picks his head up and meets my eyes. His are red and wet. I wipe some moisture at the corner of one of his eyes with my thumb. I take his face in my hands.

"Jace, I'm fine. I'm so sorry for scaring you. I love you." I brush my lips against his and relish the feeling of his lips.

"I love you, too. What happened? Why did you collapse like that? The doctor says you were in a stressed induced coma that you would wake up when your mind healed. What are you so stressed about?" He strokes my hair back and tucks some behind my ear. I close my eyes. I do not want to have this conversation right now.

"Jace….I found out something. It was so shocking and upsetting that I started throwing up and then I think I had a panic attack….I couldn't breathe and I just passed out."

His fingers ghost across my cheek and I close my eyes. His other hand lies on top of my hand that rests on my slightly protruding stomach. "What was it that upset you?"

"Jace, I want you to know that I never knew my father. My mom left him before I was a year old. Please keep that in mind when I tell you this." His eyebrows furrow and I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Jace do you know what case Michael Wayland was working on when he….?" I trail off and Jace nods his head.

"Yeah, Valentine Morgenstern. Why?"

I look at him and he stares back at me. His eyes darting back and forth across mine. Then realization hits him and his face drains of all color. "No….you're not saying that he's your….no."

_**Yikes! By the way, I don't really know if there is such a thing as a stress induced coma but I went with it! After all this is fiction :) So what is Jace going to think about the turn of events? **_

_**Until next time. . . . **_


	29. Chapter 28

_**Happy almost Friday of a Holiday weekend! Here's the next chapter after Jace learns about Clary's dad. Hope you enjoy it!**_

_**Jace and Jon are mine - Just Kidding! I wish but no I don't own anything! :)**_

**Chapter 28:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Far Away by Nickelback_

_Run Away by Cary Brothers_

_The Ladder by Andrew Belle_

_Trust Me by The Fray_

_"__Jace do you know what case Michael Wayland was working on when he….?" I trail off and Jace nods his head._

_"__Yeah, Valentine Morgenstern. Why?" _

_I look at him and he stares back at me. His eyes darting back and forth across mine. Then realization hits him and his face drains of all color. "No….you're not saying that he's your….no."_

I don't say anything and he drops his head and his hands go into his hair and he pulls on it hard. He stands up and paces to the door. My heart clenches and the machine picks up the sound of my accelerated heart and the uneven thumps. Tears sting my eyes. _This is it. _The heart machine is going crazy and Jace turns back to me and his eyes widen and he hurries over to me, holding me close.

"Clary, baby, calm down. Shhh." He rests his head on mine and looks into my scared eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Jace. I didn't know him. I didn't know him." I keep saying shaking my head.

"Clary, I don't blame you. You didn't do anything wrong." He rubs my cheeks with his fingertips.

"You mean it? You're not leaving me?"

"God, no. I love you more than anything. I'm not going anywhere." he says softly.

I close my eyes and breathe him in. "Okay." After holding onto each other for a while, I nod my head and open my eyes. "Jace? Is everything alright with the baby? I mean when I was in the coma or whatever, did it hurt the baby?" I ask uncertainly.

A large smile breaks out on his face. "No, she's perfect."

"Oh, good! That makes me feel….wait! Did you just say she?" I furrow my brow and look at him. His smile grows even bigger and he nods his head. I cover my mouth with my hands and gasp.

"We're having a girl." Jace says right before he kisses me. We lie next to one another talking about the baby girl growing inside me while Jace caresses my stomach.

o.O.o\

JPOV

Clary had to stay in the hospital one more night after she woke up for observation. After that, I was able to bring her home. Right now, she's taking a nap, because the doctor wants her to rest for a few days to get her strength back before resuming her normal routine. I settle down on the couch and turn on the TV when I hear a knock on the door. I heave myself up and go to answer the door. My mom stands on the other side looking nervous.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" I ask confused as to why she came all the way here unannounced.

"Hello, son. Can I come in? I uh need to talk to you about something." she says averting her gaze. I step aside and let her enter.

"Sure. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know." She walks into the living room and glances around. "Where's Clary?" I follow her in and sit on the couch. Mom sits beside me and twists her hands together. My stomach drops and I know whatever she says, it's not going to be good.

"She's asleep. Mom, you're starting to freak me out. What's going on?" I can't take it anymore. I need to know.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. I wait and she finally looks at me and gives me a sad smile.

"Jace, I need to tell you some things about your parents. I never meant to keep things from you intentionally, but I made a promise to your mother and I just couldn't dishonor her after her death. But some things have come to light recently and I have no choice but to tell you now." She pauses and gathers her thoughts. "Michael, Celine, and I were best friends growing up as you know. In high school, your mother met Stephen Herondale and they were together for two years. Right before we graduated, Stephen's family decided to move to London and forced Stephen to join the British Army. Celine was heartbroken and ended it with him." I take all this in not sure where this is going, so I keep quiet until she finishes. "Two months later, Celine tells me she's pregnant. Michael offered to marry her and help her with the baby because he always secretly loved her. She accepted and in time grew to love him, too. Jace, that baby was you. Michael was not your biological father; Stephen Herondale is your father. He never knew about you because Celine never talked to him again, although Stephen tried for several years, but she refused him."

"Wh-Why are you telling me this now? After all this time? Why now?" I'm completely shocked. I shake my head to try to make sense of what she's saying. _Why did my mother keep this from me?_

"I'm telling you this now, because Stephen has returned. He came into the gallery when Clary was there and she knew right away there was something about him. She came to me and asked if I knew him. I told her everything and then I called Stephen. Jace, he wants to meet you." Mom eyes me warily and grabs my hands. "Do you want to meet him?"

"I-I don't know. This is all a lot to take in. I mean I just found out that Clary's father is the one responsible for my parents' deaths and now I find out that the father I knew was not actually my father at all. I just don't know what to think right now." I squeeze my fists, my fingernails digging into my palms.

"Jace, Michael might not have been your father by blood, but he loved you and treated you like his own. Don't ever think otherwise." she says rubbing my back. I nod and close my eyes.

"I need some time to think about this, okay?"

"Okay, son. I'll let myself out. I love you, you know." she says as she gets up to leave. I nod and hear the door close. I sit there and stare into space for who knows how long. I glance toward the bedroom and I realize the one person I need right now is just on the other side of that door. Clary is lying on her side with her arm across her growing abdomen. Her hair is splayed out across the pillow and her beautiful face looks so peaceful. I climb up beside her and lie down facing her. I touch her hand that's resting on the baby and twine my fingers with hers. She sighs and I focus back on her face. Her eyes bore into mine and she smiles. She looks much better now after some rest.

"Hi." she says sleepily.

"Hey, baby." I can't help the sadness from creeping into my tone. She instantly picks up on it because her eyebrows pull together.

"What is it?" she whispers. I can't take the distance any longer so I pull us closer together and kiss her. She kisses me back but I can feel the worry through her lips. I take in a breath and blow it out.

"My mom came by just now." I look at Clary and she has a knowing expression on her face. "I guess you already know what she told me." She nods and places her small hand on my cheek. I lean into her hand and close my eyes. "She said he wants to meet me. I don't know what to do. What do you think?" I ask opening my eyes to look at her.

"Well, I don't know. I do think you both got slighted. He was never told he even had a son and you never knew who your real father was. 22 years have gone by that you two could've had each other. It's ultimately your decision and I will support you with whatever you decide." she says quietly while stroking my cheek.

"You're right, baby. I shouldn't let any more time go by. I'll meet him as long as you come with me."

"Of course I will. You don't ever have to do anything by yourself again." she says and I feel my chest tighten and my heart stutter.

"I love you so much, baby. I wish I could tell you how much you mean to me, but there just aren't words strong enough to describe my feelings for you."

"I love you, too. And you already show me. Every day when you look at me, I see." I kiss her and hold her close for the rest of the afternoon.

I called my mom and told her I would meet Stephen Herondale and she said she would invite him and his wife over for dinner. I walk back into the bedroom and Clary is in the closet tossing out clothes and cursing to herself. I call out to her and she emerges red faced and upset. Instantly I take her in my arms.

"What is it, baby?" I ask as she puts her arms around my waist and buries her face in my chest.

"I can't find anything to wear that fits over this." she whines gesturing to her stomach. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing because she is so adorable since she started showing more.

"I'm sure there's something in there. Do you want me to go get Isabelle to help you?" She nods and I kiss her head. "I'll be right back." I say as I leave to get my sister for help.

I go next door and knock. Jon opens the door and lets me in.

"Hey, buddy! What's up?" he asks clapping me on the shoulder.

"Your sister is having a crisis and I need Isabelle to help her." I say with a laugh.

Jon raises his eyebrows. "What kind of crisis? Is she alright?" The protectiveness he has is sometimes crazy but I'm glad he does it.

"She's fine. Nothing fits if you know what I mean."

"Ah. She's feeling fat."

"You better not let Clary hear you say that, Jon." Isabelle says coming into the room with some shopping bags. "I heard you need my help. Well, I just happened to see these while shopping the other day and picked them up for Clary for when she needed them. Looks like that day is today." She says smiling smugly.

"Isabelle, I could kiss you. Come on. Clary needs you." I say yanking on my sister's arm.

"I'll come too and keep you company while the girls are busy." Jon says following us out to my apartment.

We all walk into my bedroom and see Clary sitting on the floor among the clothes she threw out.

"Clary, Isabelle has something for you." I reach down and help her up. Isabelle hands her the bags and Clary peeks inside. She looks up and launches herself at Isabelle.

"Whoa, there. To be so small, you sure do have a lot of power." Clary glares at her and puts her hands on her hips.

"Don't start the small talk. And thank you for the clothes. Will you help me get ready?"

"Sure, but where are you two going?" Isabelle asks us. Clary and I share a look and I proceed to tell her and Jon about my real father. Clary and Isabelle go into the bathroom to get ready and Jon and I go watch some TV.

"That really sucks." is all Jon says and I'm thankful for that. We watch some baseball and then the girls come out. I glance over and see Clary. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, I swear. I love how she looks pregnant. She thinks she looks awful, but I think she's the sexiest woman ever pregnant or not.

"Wow, you look amazing, baby." I breathe as I get up to go to her. She looks down and rubs her belly and blushes.

"Are you sure I look good enough to meet your father?" Worry evident in her face.

"Clary, of course you do! You look perfect. Besides, you already met him remember?" I say linking our hands together.

"I know, but today I'll meet him as your girlfriend. It just feels different." she says with a shrug.

"No, today you'll meet him as my fiancé and the mother of my child. Come on, let's get going." She gives me a smile and turns to Isabelle.

"Thank you so much Isabelle. You're the best." She leans in and gives her a hug.

"You're welcome, Clary. We can go shopping whenever you want."

"Love you, shortcake." Jon says patting her on the head and grabbing Isabelle's hand and pulling her out of the apartment to theirs. I look at Clary and we leave to meet my father.

We arrive at my parents' house and I turn off the car. We sit for a few minutes and Clary squeezes my hand. That small gesture is enough to get me to get out of the car.

We walk up to the door and I ring the bell. Max opens the door and beams at us.

"Jace, Clary, guess what?!" Max exclaims as we come in the door.

"What buddy?" I ruffle his hair and he gives us both a hug. I notice he hugs Clary more gently than he does me.

"Alec's picking me up and taking me to a real baseball game!"

"That's great! You're gonna have a blast!"

Mom walks in to the foyer and hugs me and then proceeds to Clary.

"Clary, you look adorable." Mom coos. I smile at Clary and give her a look that says I told you so.

"Thanks, Maryse. Isabelle went shopping and got me some clothes. None of mine fit anymore." she says looking down at her stomach. Mom gives a light laugh and tells us to make ourselves comfortable while she finishes dinner.

Alec comes by to pick up Max and leaves me and Clary to talk with dad. My nerves are wound tight and when the doorbell rings, I just about jump out of my skin. A warm hand rubs down my arm and links with my hand. I look down at her and she gives me an encouraging smile. I take a deep breath and look toward the doorway. I hear mom talking and then I hear his voice. It sounds so much like mine. Mom walks in and just behind her is my father. He is tall, blonde, and has my face, except where my eyes are gold, his are blue. My breath catches and all I can do is stare at him. He seems to be having difficulties as well because he stares right back at me.

A throat nearby clears and mom starts talking. "Stephen, this is Jace and his fiancé, Clary. Jace, Clary, this is Stephen and his wife Anna." Stephen takes a tentative step closer to me and holds his hand out for me to take. I look at his hand, that looks so much like mine, and back to him and then I place mine in his and we shake.

"It's so good to finally meet you, Jace." Then his gaze shifts beside me and he smiles. "Clary, thank you for making this possible. If not for you, I would never have known."

I look at Clary and she is blushing furiously. "Oh, um I didn't do anything. I-I just asked Maryse about you." I pull her closer to me and kiss her on the head.

"Why don't we sit down and talk?" my dad - Robert says gesturing to the seats. We all sit down and I pull Clary as close as I can without putting her in my lap.

"So, I see you two are expecting. How soon?" Stephen asks us, eyeing Clary's small bump. Clary looks at me and I still can't talk so she turns back to Stephen.

"In May. We just found out we're having a girl." I hold onto her tighter to let her know how glad I am that she's here.

"That's wonderful! So, Jace….what do you do for a living?"

This time I have to talk. I clear my throat and reply, "Um, I'm a sports trainer at a facility in town. I train for football and baseball and sometimes I scout talent." Stephen nods his head while I talk.

"That's great! I was a football star in high school. Wasn't that right Maryse?"

"Oh, yes. He led the team to state all four years he was there." mom replies with a smile.

After a while, conversation begins to flow more freely and I begin to relax. Stephen talks about Clary's artwork, causing her to turn red, but I couldn't be more proud of her. I know she's talented. I find out that Stephen and Anna have been married for 15 years. They never had any children due to their traveling lifestyle and I think maybe she couldn't have children. Stephen owns a company that sells health products and has made a pretty good living. They just moved back here and wanted to purchase some artwork to go in their new house that coincidentally isn't far from the Lightwood's house.

My mom invited them to Thanksgiving and we promised we would see them soon. Clary and I left to go back home while Stephen and Anna stayed a little longer. When we get in the car, I lean over the console and kiss Clary as passionately as I can manage, swallowing every one of her breaths. When I pull back, she blinks a few times and is breathing heavily.

"Jesus, Jace! What was that for?" she asks breathlessly.

I grin at her reaction and say, "For being here and for loving me and for being absolutely perfect for me." She smiles widely and I kiss her one more time.

"I love you, Jace. Now take me home and have your way with me." I shake my head and laugh.

"Whatever you say."

_**AWWW. . . .Well I hope you enjoyed the reaction and meeting Stephen. I'm going out of town for Memorial Day weekend and I won't be able to update until Monday or Tuesday. Sorry :( But you can still leave reviews and messages over the weekend. I would love that! I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!**_

_**Until next time. . . . **_


	30. Chapter 29

_**Hi everyone! I'm back and now I can give you Chapter 29. Yay! I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think. :)**_

_**You all know by now what belongs to me and what doesn't! :)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 29:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_You Are a Tourist by Death Cab for Cutie_

_All I Need by Radiohead_

_Dead in the Water by Ellie Goulding_

_Say It Ain't So by Weezer_

The holidays have been a blur. We've gotten closer to Stephen and Anna during the last few weeks and they seem genuinely excited about the baby. We even spent Jace's birthday with them before celebrating it with Maryse and Robert. We all celebrated Christmas together at the beach house, because it's big enough for all of us. My mom and Luke came, as well as Alec and Sara, Jon and Isabelle, Stephen and Anna, Maryse and Robert, and of course Max. I think back to Christmas Eve night, sitting together in the giant living room, exchanging presents and laughing together. I looked around at my family and I couldn't help but think how next year will be different with the baby joining us. Different and better. I also thought about Simon often. As happy as I am with all my new family members, I still feel a piece is missing because he wasn't here with me this time. I wonder what he would think about everything that has happened to me in the last few months. Would he be happy for me? Shocked? Probably both. I shake my head and try to concentrate on the painting I'm working on at the moment for Stephen and Anna. Libby is letting me use the back room of the gallery to work on them since he is one of our clients and he requested me to paint some things for him even before he knew I was engaged to his son and carrying his grandchild. Funny how things turn out. It just confirms how small the world really is.

I stand up and stretch my legs and rub down my growing belly. I'm still not really all that big but the bump is definitely noticeable now and my regular clothes no longer fit. She loves to move around at night when Jace and I lie down together. This has become one of my favorite times of the day. Jace will hold me and together we'll feel her move all over the place. The first time I felt her move, I ran into the bedroom and grabbed Jace's hand and placed it over the spot I felt her. I will never in a million years forget the look on his face when he felt it. He looked up at me with complete awe and the most beautiful smile lit up his face. At that moment he never looked more like an angel to me.

Libby walks in to the back room and takes a look at the painting in front of me. "You're doing a fabulous job, Clary! Why don't we call it a day and go home?" she says smiling warmly at me.

"That sounds like a plan to me. I'll just clean up and then I'll be on my way. Go ahead and I'll lock up." I say taking my brushes to the sink to wash them out.

"Okay, see you tomorrow, dear." Libby leaves and I text Jace to tell him I'll be leaving in about 30 minutes. He texts me back and says he'll pick me up then. I finish cleaning everything and go out front to turn off the lights and lock the door. When I step outside, I notice Isabelle's car waiting for me instead of Jace's. I climb in and look at my future sister-in-law and best friend.

"Hi, Isabelle. Where's Jace?" I ask buckling my seat belt.

"Oh, he asked me if I could get you. He had something come up." She pulls out in traffic and I notice she avoids looking at me. I shrug it off and we drive in silence. After a few minutes I notice we're not going home. I look out the window and I can tell we're going away from our apartment.

"Isabelle?" I say turning from the window to look at her.

"Hmmm?" she raises her eyebrows and turns slightly toward me but keeps her eyes trained on the road.

"Where are we going?"

"Oh, Jace wanted me to bring you someplace for him. It's a surprise." She has a smug smile on her face and I can't help the excitement from growing. I love Jace's surprises. I sit back and watch out the window. Before long, we pull up in front of a high rise hotel in the middle of the city. I look back at Isabelle and she gets out opening the trunk. I scramble out of the car and she hands a suitcase to a bell hop and says something to him too low for me hear. He leaves with the bag and Isabelle turns to me and smiles. She hands me a key card with a suite number on it.

"Have fun!" she sings and gets in the car and drives away.

Shaking my head, I walk in and climb the enormous staircase to the elevators. I get out on the top floor and stand in front of the door with the number that matches my key card. The corners of my mouth turn up and I swipe the card and it flashes green. I turn the handle and enter an immaculate penthouse suite. I immediately see the view of the city and I go and look out at it. I turn around and take in my surroundings and that's when I see the flower petals on the floor. It's a trail leading down a hall. I follow it and it stops in front of a closed door. Smiling, I open the door and Jace is standing there holding a single flower. His smile is breathtaking. I can't take my eyes off of him and he doesn't stop looking at me either.

"Hi." I say breathlessly.

"Hi." He takes a deep breath. "God, you're so beautiful. I still can't believe you're actually mine." My face burns brightly. I'm still not used to having someone think of me that way. I don't know if I ever will. I clear my throat.

"So, what's all this for?" I say slowly walking closer to him, gesturing to the room. He takes a step towards me. We never take our eyes off of each other.

"I just wanted to do something special for you." We are almost close enough to touch now. The charge coming off of our skin is almost tangible. I shudder involuntarily from the ache to reach out to him. It's almost unbearable how badly I want him right now. He stops in front of me and I notice his chest is rising and falling fast. His eyes are burning through me.

"Jace. . . ." I whisper and he closes his eyes. I take a small step closer until our chests – or rather my belly barely touches his and I softly graze my fingertips up his arm. Goosebumps pop up all over his arm and he opens his eyes. They are dark with desire and something else.

"God, baby. You have no idea…." he swallows, "please." My body is buzzing from his words.

"Please what? What do you want?" I whisper. I think I've lost my voice.

"I want to touch you…." I rub down his arm. "….and feel you…." I lean in even closer. "…. and kiss you." He takes a shuddering breath. "I just want you." his voice low.

"Then do it." I whisper against his lips.

His arm comes around my back and he pulls me tighter to him and his mouth crashes into mine. A sigh escapes my lips as I melt into the kiss. He kisses me as if I am the air needed for him to breathe. I will never get enough of him as long as I live. One of Jace's hands goes up into my hair holding my face to his and my hands run along his chest and stomach and around to his back and shoulders. He picks me up and my legs wrap around his waist as he carries me to the bed. He gently sets me down and looks into my eyes before falling to his knees in front of me. My breath catches in my throat at the look on his face. His arms come around me and he buries his face in my stomach, holding onto me tightly. I run my hands through his hair and bend down to place my lips to the top of his head.

"Jace, what is it? Is something wrong?" I ask worriedly.

He shakes his head against my belly. I try to lift his face but he won't budge. I start to panic. _What happened?_ "Jace, please…." I beg. He finally lifts his head and I gasp at the tears streaming down his face. I grab his face in my hands. He kisses me and pulls away.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I felt this overwhelming feeling in my chest and it was nearly painful. I just had to hold onto to you. Clary, I love you so much. So damn much it almost hurts."

I see it. I see everything he is saying, everything he is feeling is in his eyes. I feel it too. I reach out for his top button on his shirt. I slowly undo each one never taking my eyes off of his. I slide my hands up to his shoulders and down his muscular arms bringing the shirt down with my movements.

Once his shirt flutters to the floor I look down his chest to the soft golden trail of hair beneath his navel and back up to his eyes. His breathing is heavy and I reach down and unbutton his pants and slowly slide the zipper down. I slip my hand inside his bulging black boxers and Jace sucks in a sharp breath. I glance back up at him and he has his eyes shut. I continue rubbing and massaging his length. I run my thumb over the tip and Jace's eyes fly open. He grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it off over my head. Then my leggings are gone. His eyes roam my body and I feel a stab of disappointment because of my changing form. I look down at my growing belly. Jace lifts my chin looking into my eyes.

"Hey –"

"I wish I didn't look so disgusting." I say cutting him off. "We never had much time to do this kind of stuff before all of this." gesturing to my body.

"God, baby, you're beautiful. Nothing has changed in my eyes. I still think you're the sexiest woman I've ever laid eyes on. No one has ever made me feel the things you make me feel. No one ever will. You're it for me."

I stare at him for a couple of seconds and try to wrap my brain around what he's saying. I scoot back on the bed towards the pillows pulling him with me. He spreads out beside me, neither one of us able to keep our hands from exploring one another. Jace reaches down and pulls my panties off and sinks his fingers inside of me. I lean further into the pillows and moan. His mouth covers mine and my hands pull on his hair. He groans and I push him off of me and sit up. I work on taking off his pants and I straddle his thighs. He sits up with me on top of him and kisses me so hard I lose my breath. His hands come up my back and swiftly remove my bra.

"So beautiful…." he murmurs against my breasts. I shiver from his touch and sink down onto him. He clings tighter and I begin riding up and down, holding onto him just as tightly. I open my eyes that I didn't even know I had closed and see him staring up at me. In that look, I know there's no doubt that he loves me. I kiss him long and hard, taking every breath he breathes as my own. I continue moving above him and he grips me tighter and tighter. I fell him tremble just as I clench tightly around him and we ride out our ecstasy with our lips locked together.

After lying together for a long time, the baby decides it's time to use the bathroom and eat. Jace goes to call room service and I go to find something in the bag Isabelle packed for me to put on. I rummage through the bag and pull out some lingerie. Jace walks in as I laugh at what I'm holding up.

"What's so funny?"

"This." I say holding up the clothing for Jace to see. He looks at it and raises his eyebrows.

"Isabelle told me she was going to pitch an idea to her boss about sexy _maternity_ lingerie. I guess this is a prototype." I put it on and walked to the mirror. Jace comes up behind me and puts his hands on my belly and rests his chin on my shoulder.

"I like it." he says kissing my neck.

I roll my eyes but smile. "You like everything."

"Only everything about you." giving me a smirk.

"You do know you're getting cheesier by the minute, right?"

"Maybe I've always been cheesy and you just bring it out in me."

I turn in his arms and gasp. "I do not!" He laughs and kisses me. A knock on the door interrupts us and Jace goes to answer it.

"Clary, food's here." Jace calls. We sit and eat and cuddle together the rest of the night.

o.O.o

JPOV

The sunlight hits my face and I squeeze my eyes shut tighter. It's no use. I know there's no way I can go back to sleep now that I'm too awake. I turn my head and look into the face of the gorgeous girl sleeping soundly beside me. She sleeps like the dead. I wonder if she'll sleep lighter after the baby is born or will I be the one to get up at night. I chuckle softly at that thought. I won't mind. God, a year ago, I couldn't imagine having this life. Hell, less than a year ago, I couldn't. Now, looking down at Clary and gently laying my hand on her belly, I can't imagine not having it. I know it'll be hard. I know we'll probably argue. Clary does have a feisty temper. But this is worth all of that to me. With a sigh, I quietly get up and go take a shower. After drying off and wrapping the towel around my waist I go back in the bedroom to grab some clothes. Clary stretches and rubs her eyes with her small hands. She looks up at me and frowns.

"You took a shower without me?" she asks sleepily. I smile and walk up to the side of the bed. I stroke the side of her cheek and watch her blush. I will never get tired of seeing her blush.

"I didn't want to wake you. Besides, you know I'll always shower with you whether I need it or not, baby." I lean down and brush my lips along her jaw. But her stomach has other plans. I stand back up and pull her with me. "Why don't we get dressed and I'll take you to breakfast. I think the baby is hungry."

"Mmmm, food sounds nice." She stands on her the tips of her toes and kisses me chastely on the mouth. "I love you."

I cup her face and kiss the corner of her mouth. "And I….", I kiss the other corner, "love….", I kiss her on her soft lips, "you, too, baby."

I had asked Clary if she wanted to go someplace in particular for breakfast and I was surprised she said Taki's considering the Kaelie thing at my apartment. I had given her a look and she sighed and told me about the time her and Isabelle had gone there and had gotten her fired. She looked a little guilty but underneath that I saw the satisfaction of her actions. I shake my head thinking about how hot that must've been. I grin at the thought.

"What are you grinning about?" Clary asks bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, just how hot you are when you get mad." She hits my arm. "Ouch!"

We pull up at Taki's and just as we are about to go in someone calls my name.

"Jace!" Turning around bringing Clary with me is Jordan and the girl I met a while back.

"Jordan! Hey, man! How's it going?" I release Clary long enough to give Jordan a one arm hug and resume my position with my arm around Clary's waist.

"Everything's been great, man. You remember Maia right?" He gestures to the girl beside him. I nod my head.

"Yeah. It's good to see you again." I feel a warm hand on my arm and I turn to Clary. "This is Clary, my fiancé." I say squeezing Clary gently. She smiles shyly at them. Everyone saying it's nice to meet each other. "Shit, Jordan, I didn't miss the wedding did I?" I ask suddenly remembering the bachelor night. Jordan chuckles.

"Nah, man. We got married a few months ago. Just the two of us. That's the way we wanted it." Jordan says looking at Maia and smiling. We all walk into Taki's and decide to eat together. Maia and Clary walk ahead of us to the table.

"Is that the girl Jon was following around at Magnus'?" Jordan eyes me speculatively.

"Yeah. She's Jon's sister. You know that was the night I realized I was in love with her." I say smiling at the memory. "It was something you said actually that made me realize it. We're getting married after the baby's born. We're having a girl." I say proudly.

Jordan shakes his head. "I never in a million years thought I'd see you with a baby. Now look at you! I think it's great man. So what if we're young? When we find the one, we can't let them go."

I agree and we sit with our girls and enjoy a wonderful breakfast. Clary and Maia hit it off and we promised to see them both soon. Clary and I go back to the hotel to enjoy each other's company before we go back home to enjoy each other's company there, too.

_**So. . . . I had to put a little fluff in there. Let me know what you think. By the way, I almost have 300 reviews and that makes me so happy I could scream! Keep them coming - i love reading each and every one of them!**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	31. Chapter 30

_**City of Heavenly Fire is soooo awesome! I won't spoil anything for the ones who haven't read it, but OMG - you really should! :) Anyways. . . .back to this story: Is it time for baby? Read to find out! **_

_**You know by now the characters and music are not in any way mine (except the ones I made up) **_

_**Enjoy! :)**_

**Chapter 30:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_A Heavy Ababcus by The Joy Formidable_

_Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars_

_Disarm by Smashing Pumpkins_

The last few weeks have been so busy. Mom, Maryse, Isabelle, and I went shopping for baby furniture after Jace and I painted the baby's room. I find myself going in there a lot, sitting in the rocking chair, thinking about what's to come. Jace came home to find me in there one day. He sat with me holding my hand and we talked about everything. God, I love him. I still can't believe how great he's been with all of this. So much has changed in the last few months and he seems to take it all like nothing. Sometimes I wonder if he really is okay with these things or if he's just good at hiding things. I try not to spend too much time worrying about that, though.

Isabelle and I walk into my apartment and see Jace is in the kitchen making us dinner. He smiles when I walk in and comes over and kisses me.

"So what have you two been up to?" he asks rubbing his hand across my belly.

I roll my eyes and point to Isabelle. "_She_ decided I need to stay in tip top pregnancy shape so she enrolled us in maternity exercise classes."

"Well, keeping in shape will help with the delivery and how fast your body bounces back after the baby is born. I'm just trying to help you out Clary." she says sticking her tongue out at me. "You're just embarrassed that all the women in there think we're lesbian lovers." Jace snickers and I glare at him.

Turning back to Isabelle, "You didn't help the situation any. Calling me sweetheart and hanging all over me and shit."

"Oh come on. It was funny to see their faces and you know it. Besides, who cares what they think." I shake my head and smile. She's right. It was a little funny and I don't really care what they think.

More weeks pass and I'm getting bigger and bigger. I have never felt like such a whale. I can't get up from a seated position easily and I can't sit down without tilting toward the seat and falling into it. Getting out of the bed is even worse. I have to roll on my side and Jace has to give me a little push so I can swing my feet to the floor. Breathing has become an issue because she is wedged up in my ribs and I am just tired of being hugely pregnant. Isabelle and Sara threw me a baby shower a few weeks ago and I got all sorts of cute clothes plus the necessities like diapers and things called onesies. Mom says they're good when changing diapers. I'm three weeks away from my due date and Dr. Branwell says things are going perfectly. Jace has not missed an appointment to my surprise. I know he said he wouldn't, but some appointments are just routine and boring. Still, he's been beside me each and every time.

I wake up and try to heft myself out of the bed. Jace has already left since I took the day off today. Today marks one year since Simon died. I can't believe it's been a year. A whole year without seeing him, talking to him, laughing with him or anything else with him. The sadness almost crushes me. I've gotten so much better, but today is going to be so hard to get through. I put on some comfy clothes and braid my hair and brush my teeth. As I walk out of the bedroom, I hear a knock on my door. I open it to find Jon standing on the other side.

"Hey, berry. How are you today?" he asks coming in, eyeing me warily. I know why he's here today of all days. He knows what today is, too.

I sigh. "I'm sad." I simply say.

He pulls me in and hugs me. "I know. Me too."

"I'm going to see him. Can I use your car?"

"Are you sure you should be so far away from here? What if something happens and you need your doctor?" he asks pulling me back to look at me.

"I'm not due for three weeks. I'll be fine. So, can I use your car or not?"

"I'll take you. Come on." He takes my hand and we get in the car and drive the two hours to the cemetery. On the way, Jon comments on how when he came to get me to live with him, he thought it was a chance for me to start over and I did it with a bang. I laugh at that because it was a lot of life changing experiences all at once.

We get to the cemetery and we walk silently down the gravel path to his grave. The crunch of the gravel under my feet is unnerving. When I see his name on the headstone, I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I feel Jon put his arm around my shoulder and I lean into him. _Thank God, he came with me._ We stop in front of the grave and Jon helps me to the ground. I stare at his name for I don't know how long. Silent tears fall down my face and I make no move to wipe them away. _Oh, Simon._

"I miss you so much, Simon." I reach out a shaky hand and touch his name on the headstone. I trace the letters with my finger.

"So much has happened in the last year. I wish you could be a part of it with me. It's just not the same without you. Nothing will ever be the same." I hear Jon sniff behind me. I close my eyes and bow my head. "I know you're watching over us and I know you'll help protect my little girl. Her own guardian angel. I love you, Si. You'll always be my best friend, no matter what."

I try to stand and Jon quickly moves to help me to my feet. Once I stand up, I double over in pain.

"Ahhh." I grab my stomach and try to breathe.

"Clary! What's wrong?" Jon frantically yells grabbing my arms as I bend over.

"I don't know. Something hurts." I manage to say through the pain. Jon takes out his phone and hysterically talks to someone. He hangs up and helps me to the car. It takes a while because I keep stopping to get my breath. Once he sets me down, he speeds off.

"Jon, where are we going?" I ask breathlessly.

"Mom said to take you to the hospital." His knuckles are white where he grips the steering wheel and he looks extremely tense.

"No, I need Dr. Branwell. I have to get back to the city. And Jace…."

"Clary, you need to be seen now. The city is too far away. I was afraid of this." I fumble around for my phone. I call Jace and it goes to voicemail. _Damn!_ I throw my phone to the floorboard and clutch my stomach again.

"Shit, hang on Clary. We're almost there." Jon pulls up to hospital and throws the car in park and jumps out to help me out. Leaving the door open he pulls me through the automatic doors to the desk. The nurse looks up and sees me in my condition and shouts for someone to get me a wheelchair.

"Sir, how far along is your wife?" the nurse asks.

"She's my sister and she's due in three weeks. She stood up and has been having these pains ever since." Jon explains to the nurse. The wheelchair comes around and I sit down in it. Someone pushes me through the swinging doors and takes me to a room. Several people are bustling in and out, getting me onto the bed and hooking me up to different machines. I'm so scared. Jace isn't here. My mom isn't here. No one is here. After an eternity, Mom and Jon rush in.

"Mom!" I say relief in my voice. "Where's Jace?" I ask looking at my brother.

"I couldn't get him and Isabelle's going over there to find him. He'll be here soon, Cherry." Jon says taking my hand.

"Oh God. He'll never get here in time. The nurse said it wouldn't be long now." And then I begin to cry. I can't do this without him.

"Clary, shh. It's going to be alright, sweetheart." Mom tries to soothe me but I am hysterical. Jon goes out and a nurse comes in and injects something in the IV and I start to drift off.

o.O.o

JPOV

I leave Clary sleeping in the bed and I want nothing more than to slip back under the covers with her and hold her. I lean down to kiss her on the head and rub her belly and mentally tell the baby bye. When I get to work, I get ushered into a meeting and I turn off my phone until the meeting is over. Just as I leave the meeting I turn my phone back on and see I have several missed calls from Jon and one from Clary. I call Clary first but she doesn't answer. I make my way out to the field where some guys are practicing and I hear someone shouting my name. I turn to find Isabelle waving frantically at me. I run over to her and when I see her face, my heart starts hammering.

"Jace! Clary's in the hospital. Come on." she says breathlessly, like she ran all the way here.

"What?! What happened? Is she alright?" I ask hopping over the fence and running to Isabelle's car.

"She and Jon went to Simon's grave and Jon said she just doubled over in pain. He took her to the hospital and she's about to have the baby."

"Fuck! I'm not there for her. Hurry Isabelle." I say and call Jon. He answers right away.

"Jace. Thank God. Please tell me you're on your way here."

"I am. How is she? Is she okay? God, please be okay." I'm almost on the verge of tears. I feel so far away and out of control right now.

"They had to give her something to make her sleep. She was hysterical, crying for you and we couldn't calm her down. She's sleeping now and the hospital called her doctor and she's on the way here." _Good._ Dr. Branwell knows Clary and she'll be there too.

"I'll be there as soon as I can get there. Tell her I'm coming." I hang up the phone and I close my eyes and blow out a breath. We're having a baby, and soon. I wish I had crawled back in the bed this morning, and then I would've been with her. She wouldn't have been crying for me. I glance at Isabelle and she's driving so fast. She really loves Clary too.

"Thanks, Isabelle. For coming to get me and driving there as fast as you can." I say giving her a small smile.

"I love her too, Jace. She's the only real girlfriend I've ever had. Growing up, all my friends would want me to be their friend to get closer to you or Alec. Even though Clary is with you, she still wants to be friends with me. None of the others cared to do that." I look at my sister and had no idea it was like that for her.

"I'm sorry Iz. I didn't know it was like that for you. That must've sucked. I always wondered why you never hung with girls."

"Well, yeah. But it's okay. It's over now. We're almost there. You ready to become a daddy?" she asks with a smile.

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. I just really need to see Clary. I think I'll feel better when I can see her and touch her and know she's okay." My thoughts drift off and all I can think about is Clary. After an eternity of driving, Isabelle lets me out to find Clary while she parks the car. I rush in and go straight to the desk. The nurse looks up at me and before she can say anything I say, "My fiancé was brought in about to have a baby. Clary Garroway, where is she?" The nurse checks the computer.

"She's in room 504." I take off for the elevators and get off on the fifth floor. I run until I find 504 and burst in. There she is, lying in the bed, hooked up to all kinds of monitors and things. Jocelyn and Jon stand and I walk to the side of the bed never taking my eyes off of her. I take one of her hands and smooth the hair off of her face. She stirs and slowly opens her eyes. When she sees me, she blinks and tears fall down her cheeks.

"Hey, baby. It's alright, I made it. Please don't cry." I say wiping the tears off of her face.

"Oh my God, Jace. I thought you weren't going to make it. I thought you'd miss it and I couldn't do this without you." she cries holding onto me tightly. "I've never been so scared in my life."

"I'm so sorry, baby. I should've been here sooner. I love you. I'm here now." I say kissing her over and over again. She finally calms down and I sit beside her, holding her as close as I can get to her. Jon and Jocelyn left the room as I came in to give us a moment. Dr. Branwell comes in and tells us that she will be back to check on us in a little while and that it wouldn't much longer. Clary glances at me and I smile at her.

"We better agree on a name, because I think she's ready to meet us." I say and Clary kisses me. Everyone comes in to see Clary and to wish us look. They all go out to wait for our daughter's arrival. Jocelyn stays a while longer to make sure Clary is okay. When it's just the two of us, I look into her eyes as she stares into mine.

"I love you more than anything, you know that right?" I whisper stroking her cheek with my fingers.

"I know. I love you too. I'm so happy Maryse never showed you how to do laundry." she says sleepily. I think the drugs they gave her are making her a little loopy. I smile. "Me, too, baby." And we wait for Dr. Branwell to come back.

_**Sorry - no baby yet, but soon I promise. Let me know what you think and if you've read any of City of Heavenly Fire tell what you think of it!**_

_**Until next time. . . .**_


	32. Chapter 31

**_Hello Lovies! Here is the chapter some of you have been waiting on - the baby! I hope you enjoy it!_**

**_I own Sara and Anna and sadly that is all! :(_**

**Chapter 31:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne_

_Hold You in My Arms by Ray Lamontagne_

_In My Arms by Plumb_

_First in Line by Matthew Mayfield_

JPOV

It seems like we've been here forever, but really it's been just a few hours. I can't stand seeing Clary in so much pain. Dr. Branwell has just told us that it's time and she is busy getting everything ready. I focus on Clary and wipe the sweat off her forehead. Her eyes are closed and she's breathing heavily.

"Jace…." she says hoarsely.

"I'm here, baby." I kiss her on the head.

"Clary." Dr. Branwell says coming over to stand in front of her. Clary opens her eyes weakly and looks at her. "It's time to start pushing. When I say push, I want you to sit up as far as you can and push, then you can lie back down and rest until the next push. Okay?"

Clary nods and looks at me. I smile and kiss her on the lips. "This is it, baby. I love you."

"I love you, too, Jace."

"Okay, Clary. Push." I help her sit up and Clary grunts and pushes and then collapses back onto the pile of pillows the nurse put behind her.

"Good. Now, do it again. Push." Again, I help her sit up and she pushes and this time some tears leak out of the corners of her eyes.

Several more pushes and Clary is exhausted and crying from pain and fatigue. I feel so helpless.

"You're doing so good, baby. I love you so much." I say trying to encourage her.

"Jace….I can't….I can't anymore." She sounds so weak.

"Clary. One more time. You can do it. She's almost here." Dr. Branwell says.

I help Clary up again and she screams out and pushes with the last bit of strength I think she has and then I hear a tiny cry. It's the most beautiful sound in the world. I turn toward the sound and I get a glimpse of a tiny hand. A nurse whisks her away and I look back at Clary. She is lying back down but is so very pale. Dr. Branwell finishes up and looks at Clary and starts shouting things to the nurses in the room.

"What's going on?" I ask with alarm.

"Her blood pressure has dropped dangerously low. We just need to get it stabilized."

I move back so they can work on her. I never take my eyes off of her. _Oh, God! Please let her be okay. Please. Clary please be okay._ Finally Dr. Branwell looks back at me and gives me a shaky smile.

"She's going to be fine, Jace. I'm sorry for the scare."

I nod and walk to the side of the bed. I take Clary's hand and she opens her eyes.

"Jace." she whispers.

"Clary. You scared the shit out of me. My God, baby." tears streaming down my face. She reaches over and wipes them away. I lean my head down and she kisses me.

"Are you ready to meet your daughter?" a nurse says holding something wrapped in a pink blanket.

o.O.o

The nurse hands Jace a bundle in a pink blanket. He gently cradles her in his arms and looks down at her. His eyes fill with tears and the most beautiful smile lights up his face. He looks at me with amazement. He slowly walks over to me and places her in my arms. My breath catches in my throat and I have to blink back the tears so I can see her angelic face clearly. She is the most beautiful, amazing thing I have ever seen. I pull the blanket away and see soft golden fuzz on her small head. I trace my finger along her creamy cheek and her soft pink lips. She opens her eyes and looks at me and Jace with her odd colored eyes. They are green with streaks of gold throughout them. Beautiful.

"Oh, Jace…." I whisper.

"I know. She's perfect." he whispers back. I look up at him and he leans down and kisses me, lingering a little longer on my lips, and then kisses our daughter on her head.

"I should let everyone know she's here and that you both are perfect." he says quietly.

I nod and say, "Okay…. Jace, I love you so much."

"God, I love you, too, baby. I'll be right back." he says and with one last look at us he walks out to get our family.

I look down at my daughter and smile. _Thank you._

A few minutes later the door opens and Jace comes back in followed by my mom, Luke, Jon, Isabelle, Maryse, Robert, Max, Stephen, and Anna. Alec and Sara are on the way. Everyone speaks quietly and takes turns holding the baby. Jace sits beside me on the bed and wraps his arm around my shoulder. I rest my head on his and we watch our family fall in love with her instantly just like we did the minute we laid eyes on her.

"She's gorgeous. What are you guys naming her?" mom asks as she holds her. Jace and I look at each other and smile. He nods his head and I look at everyone.

"We decided to name her Emma Simone Herondale. Simone after Simon because she was born on the same day he died, and Herondale because that's who she is."

Stephen's mouth falls open and he is clearly shocked. I lace my fingers with Jace's and give them a squeeze.

"I would also like to go by Herondale if that's alright with you." Jace says staring at Stephen. Anna squeezes his arm and Stephen nods his head yes.

"Y-yes. I would love for you to, Jace. Nothing would make me happier. Thank you. Both of you." Stephen says to us a little breathlessly.

As everyone hangs around holding baby Emma and talking, I lie back and close my eyes, exhaustion taking over my body. Jace leans in and whispers in my ear that I should get some rest. He gets up and tells everybody to come back later and then he climbs back on the bed with me holding the baby. The three of us snuggle up together and soon we all drift off to sleep.

o.O.o

The first few weeks at home with the baby have been an adjustment for sure. Jace took some time off from work to be home with us and when he went back, I had my mom, Maryse, Anna, or Isabelle with me. Today is the first day to be with Emma all by myself. Jace has already called several times today to check on us. I told him to quit calling before he got in trouble for being on the phone too much. Emma is a wonderful baby. She is calm and alert and she only fusses a little when she's hungry or sleepy. Everyone is completely taken with her. I love watching people with her. Jon is especially sappy with her. It's too cute.

It's getting late and I can tell Emma is getting tired so I take her to the nursery and sit down in the rocking chair. As I rock her, I stare at her beautiful face and can't believe Jace and I made this perfect little person. I begin to sing to her and she stares right back at me while I rock back and forth. She wraps her tiny little fist around my finger and watches me sing to her. I smile and she gives a tiny smile back. Emma opens her mouth and makes some sweet little sounds, like she's singing with me. I wish Jace was here to see this. She never takes her eyes off of me. I keep singing and rocking and before long she gives a tiny little yawn and soon she falls asleep. Just as I'm about to lie her down, Jace steps in to the room.

"Hi." I whisper. I get up and lie Emma down in the crib and Jace comes over and stands beside me looking down at her sleeping face.

He wraps his arms around me and kisses me. We quietly walk out of the room and as soon as we get out in the hall, he pushes me against the wall and attacks my mouth, neck, and shoulders.

When I break away to catch my breath I ask, "What was that for?"

He grins at me and pecks me on the lips once more. "First of all, I missed you and second of all, I absolutely love hearing you sing. Do you remember singing with me at the beach house?"

I smile remembering it all too well. "How could I forget Maryse catching us making out? We weren't even together then."

"No but I wanted to be. I was so in love with you even then. I can't believe it's been a year ago."

"Now look at us. We're getting married in two months and we have the most beautiful baby girl in the world. So much has changed in such a short amount of time, but somehow it works." I say with a shrug.

"It most definitely works. Now, come here. Emma just went down, so we have a good hour or so to do whatever we want and right now, I want to do you." he says wagging his eyebrows up and down. I giggle and let him lead me to our bedroom. Dr. Branwell has just cleared me and I know Jace is ready to explode - literally.

He brings me into our room and closes the door. I go to the bedside table and turn on the monitor just in case Emma wakes up early. When I turn back around, Jace has already stripped out of everything except his black boxers.

"Whoa, are we impatient?" I ask arching my eyebrows. He walks up to me and starts unbuttoning my shirt.

"Uh huh. It's been six long weeks of lying beside you night after night and I haven't been able to take your body and do the things I love to do to it." He gets the last button undone and slides the shirt off of my body, leaving me in my bra and shorts. He takes my shorts and glides them down my legs. They fall, pooling around my feet. I step out of them and kick them aside. "Now I plan to have my way with you until you moan my name over and over." He whispers in my ear before sucking and biting a trail down my neck to my collarbone. "Mmmm….you smell so good. I almost get off just by your scent." I close my eyes and let him continue making me fall apart. His hands roam down my body until he has removed what was left of my clothing. "God, baby….you are so perfect. I could stare at your body all day, but I wouldn't be able to hold out too long without touching you." he says as his mouth makes his way down my body until he is kneeling down in front of me, his face hovering right in between my thighs. He glances up at me and gives me a smile that makes me instantly wet. I let out a shaky breath and close my eyes at the sensations he is causing my body to have.

I feel my knees go weak and Jace scoops me up in his arms and carries me to the bed where he gently places me on the pillows. He climbs up on top of me and kisses my chest and neck. He pulls back to look at me and traces his finger across my cheekbones and enters me, filling me up with warmth and desire. We move together and our breaths mingle together. Our bodies sliding against each other in such a delicious way. Jace's mouth is on any part of me he can get to while still moving in and out of me. My hands are all over his body; rubbing and scratching and pulling. He pulls back from my overheated skin and looks at me, never ceasing his movements inside of me.

"I love you, Clary. More than my own life." he says staring into my eyes. I stare back for a second and then crash my lips onto his. We kiss with a burning passion and then hold onto each other tightly as we come down together.

As we catch our breath, I turn to him and kiss his shoulder. "I love you, too. I would do anything for you."

"Anything? Hmmm….I think I can come up with some things if you want me to." amusement in his voice.

"You're insatiable. But I love that too." I say smiling. And then we hear a tiny cry on the monitor. I move to get up and Jace stops me.

"Let me get her. I've been away all day." I lie back down and watch him put his pants back on. He turns back to me at the door and winks before walking out. I hear the nursery door open from the monitor.

"Hey, Emma. Daddy's home. I've missed you so much today. You and mommy are the most beautiful girls in the world and I love you both so much." I hear Jace say to her when he picks her up. I smile and think about how happy I am and get up to get dressed so I can see my two favorite people in the world.

**_Emma has finally arrived! I know some of you wanted her to be a boy named Simon, but she got named after him anyway so I hope this didn't disappoint. So give me your thoughts on this chapter. What did you think of the birth part? The naming? All of it. . . . and thanks so much for the wonderful reviews I've gotten so far! :)_**

**_Until next time. . . ._**


	33. Chapter 32

_**Hello! Well here is the last chapter of Starting Over! :( I will be posting the epilogue tomorrow night so please look for that. I plan on thanking many people with the epilogue. So anywho. . . . Chapter 32:**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**I own the plot!**_

**Chapter 32:**

**_**Chapter Songs:**_**

_Something in my Eye by Turin Brakes_

_Carried Away by Passion Pit_

_Tongue Tied by Grouplove_

_Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard (Clary dancing at bar)_

_Angels on the Moon by Thriving Ivory_

_Marry Me by Train_

"Thank you for keeping Emma tonight. Isabelle is insisting on having a bachelorette party even though I told her I didn't need one." I say as I kiss Emma's small cheek and hand her over to Maryse.

"I love having time with her. She has a lot of grandmothers and I have to share her. She's going to be so spoiled with 3 sets of grandparents to dote on her." Maryse says squeezing Emma and kissing her.

I smile at them and silently thank God for giving her such a big loving family. If Jace and I aren't with her, I know whoever she's with will take good care of her.

"Go and have fun, Clary. Emma and I will be just fine."

Okay. Call me or Jace if you need anything. Okay I guess that's everything. Bye." I say hesitating at the door. I've never been away from her overnight before and I don't really like it.

"Clary. You're stalling. She'll be fine."

"I know she'll be fine. I just don't know about myself. Okay, okay….I'm going. See you tomorrow." And with that I leave and quickly get in the car and drive away. When I get home, Jace is about to walk out the door.

"Hey, baby. I thought I was going to miss you. What took you so long dropping off the baby?" he asks taking me in his arms.

"I had a hard time leaving her. It's the first time she's been away." I say with a shrug. Jace pulls me closer and leans down to kiss me.

"I know it's hard, but you need a night out with the girls. And we'll go get her first thing in the morning if that's what you want." he says smiling sweetly at me. I nod and reach up to cup his face.

"You're amazing. And I love you. So what are you guys going to be doing tonight?" I ask with curiosity.

"Just guy stuff." he says still smiling.

"Just as long as this guy stuff has you behaving."

"You absolutely have nothing to worry about. I have everything I ever wanted and more. You are the only woman that can capture my heart and I love you." He kisses me and then he backs up to the door. "I'll see you later, baby." And then he's gone.

With a sigh, I go in my room to see an outfit lying on the bed and a note from Isabelle.

**_Put this on and I'll be over to do your hair and makeup for the night. ~ Isabelle_**

I strip off my clothes and put on the outfit Isabelle gave me. It's a skirt that comes to about mid-thigh and a shirt that shows my cleavage. It's all black and makes my red hair look like flames. I hear the doorbell and I go and answer it. Isabelle, Sara, and Maia, Jordan's wife, are all standing there with alcohol and makeup bags. They all come in and we begin drinking and laughing and talking. Isabelle immediately starts on my hair and makeup and when I'm fully ready we leave.

When we get downstairs, I see a huge van parked out front. Isabelle grabs my hand and pulls me inside the van. It's a party van. There's enough room to dance and walk around and there's a minibar. We all pile in and continue drinking and dancing and laughing. I haven't had this much fun in so long. By the time the van stops, I am completely buzzed. We get out and go in to the place we stopped in front of. It seems like a strip club but the women are somewhat clothed and they are twirling around the poles.

"Why are we here, Isabelle?" I ask as I look around.

"It's amateur pole night and I thought it would be fun to pole dance and see who wins." she says with a laugh. I burst out laughing at the thought of me pole dancing.

"Come on. You're joking right? You expect me to get up there and dance in front of all these people."

Sara hands me something and without looking at it I down it. Whatever it was sets me on fire. All three girls are looking at me with shit-eating grins on their faces.

I look around again and shrug. "Fuck it."

Isabelle shrieks and runs off to find someone and then I am being led backstage to get ready for my debut.

o.O.o

JPOV

I walk into Jon's apartment and see Alec and Jordan hanging out in the living room with Jon.

"There he is. We were beginning to think the guest of honor was ditching us." Jon says to me as I come in.

"Nah. Clary took forever dropping Emma off and I waited for her to come back so I could tell her bye." I say giving Alec and Jordan fist bumps.

"I don't want to hear about what you do with my sister." Jon replies and we all laugh.

"Speaking of sisters. Where is my sister taking Clary tonight?" I ask trying to see if I'll be mad or not later.

"Oh no. None of you will know where we're going so don't even ask." Isabelle walks over to Jon and pecks him on the lips. "Be good boys." And then she walks out of the apartment.

I look to my boys and say, "So what are we doing tonight?"

"Well since, we are all in serious relationships, some more than others," Jon says looking at me and Jordan, "I heard about this place that is having an amateur pole dancing contest tonight. We could go there, have some drinks and watch girls dance, but they're not strippers and they're not professional so there won't be any harm done. What do you think?"

We all nod our heads and agree. It's not like we're going to a strip club to see full on nudity and none of us really have any desire to be with anyone other than the girls we already have. We have a few drinks and hang out goofing off and playing some video games before we head out.

We get to the bar that's hosting the contest and it's pretty crowded. We find a table near the back exit and by the stage and sit down. A waitress comes over and gets our drink orders and we sit back to watch the entertainment. After a few giggly, drunk girls stumble around the pole, I get up to go to the bathroom. I hear the music change and know someone else has started dancing. I hear lots of clapping and cat calls to whoever is dancing right now. I hurry back to my table to see what has the crowd in an uproar. My friends all have a very shocked look on their face when I approach the table. I look up on stage and my heart almost stops beating in my chest. This girl is climbing the pole and twirling around it and dancing so provocatively that the crowd is going wild. She moves up and down holding the pole and spins around it while her hair fans out around her. Everyone is standing up and cheering except my table. This girl is by far the best that's come out here and I'm in complete amazement watching her. This girl isn't just any girl. This girl is my girl. The girl I'm marrying in a few weeks. The girl I live with. The mother of my child. Clary. . . .

"Where in the hell did she learn to move like that?" Jon asks. Anger clearly in his voice. When he speaks I'm brought back out of my thoughts and I see red. All these guys _and girls_ are looking at my girl.

"Clary!" I yell over the music. She instantly stops moving and turns toward my voice. Her eyes grow big and her mouth falls open. Then she narrows her eyes and glares at me like she's mad at me for some reason. She hops off the stage and comes up to me. We stare at each other for a second and then both of us start yelling at each other at the same time. I grab her arm and pull her out the back exit.

"I can't believe what I just saw up there!"

"Well, I can't believe you!"

"All of those men were eye fucking you and you don't even care."

"You were obviously doing the same thing when other girls were up there; don't even think about denying it. You were enjoying yourself until it was me doing the dancing."

I mash my lips together and Clary purses hers and then we bust out laughing.

"I can't believe we ended up at the same place on our bachelor night."

"I know right. It's crazy." Clary says in between giggles.

"I'm sorry for doing that. I had quite a buzz going and Isabelle talked me into it." she says when she catches her breath from laughing.

"I'm sorry too. We thought this place would be better than going to a strip club with professional dancers and nudity."

We stare at each other for a minute and I move closer to her. "Can I ask you something?" She nods her head. "Where did you learn to move like that and will you do a repeat performance for me tonight?" I whisper against her mouth. She opens up immediately and we kiss desperately. I push her against the wall and lift her up on my waist. Her legs close around me and her hands are twisting in my hair. Our tongues are wrapping around each other wildly. "That was the hottest thing I have ever seen, baby." I say against her neck as I kiss and lick along her shoulder and collarbone.

The back door opens and Jon walks out. He sees us in this position and backs up.

"Oh God! Please stop doing that. Please." he says covering his eyes. I set Clary down and lace my fingers through hers.

"Okay, Jon. You can look now." Clary tells him. He slowly peeks between his fingers before removing his hand from his eyes.

"I just came out here to see if you were okay and to tell you that you won, Clary."

"What?"

"You won the dancing contest. You had the most votes." he replies looking uncomfortable.

"Wow. I can't believe I won. Wait! What did I win?"

"Come on." Jon says and starts walking back in the bar. When we get in, Isabelle's waiting.

"Oh, good. Where did you find them?" she asks Jon.

"I don't want to talk about it." he says and keeps walking to the table we sat at earlier. Isabelle looks at us confused.

"Jon caught us making out against the wall in the alley." I tell her and she nods her head in understanding.

"Well come on, Clary. You have to get your prize." She pulls Clary away from me so I go sit back down at the table. This time Sara and Maia are there.

Clary gets called on stage and is presented with a crown and a banner that reads Ms. Pole-Dancer 2014. She turns bright red as the crowd claps and yells for her. She comes down and sits on my lap.

"My sister ladies and gentlemen." Jon announces sarcastically.

Clary rolls her eyes. "What's wrong big brother? Aren't you proud of me for winning a title?" she asks with a fake pout and everyone laughs. Jon frowns at her.

"I'm always proud of you, but I did not want to see the things I have seen tonight when it comes to my baby sister."

"Hey, why don't we pile into the party van and ride around and dance, just us?" Isabelle suggests. We all agree and get in the van. The girls dance around while the boys and I drink from the minibar.

o.O.o

"I really don't want to spend the night away from you tonight. Why are we doing this again?" Jace asks me while I pack our clothes for the trip to the lake house. Tomorrow, we're finally getting married and he will be staying in a hotel nearby with Jon, Alec, and Jordan while Isabelle, Sara, and Maia, and I will be staying in the lake house with Mom and Luke to get ready for the wedding.

"I know babe. I don't want to either but it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding and that includes waking up with her." I say giving him a chaste kiss and Emma one on top of her head as Jace holds her.

"I can't sleep without you anymore." he pouts at me. "I'll look horrible for the wedding from lack of sleep. The pictures won't turn out good. Are you sure you want to risk that, baby?"

"You will always look perfect to me no matter what. I'm not worried about that. You get the bags and I'll take Emma. We still have the drive to the lake house before you and the guys go to the hotel. And then tomorrow we'll be married and we won't have to spend another night apart."

Jace hands Emma over and reaches around my waist and kisses me. "I can't wait."

I pull away and look at him and decide to tease him. "Are you sure? After tomorrow, you'll be off the market and tied down at the age of 23." I start to walk off but he pulls me back to him.

"For your information, I have been off the market since I met you and I'm not getting tied down. I'm getting everything I ever wanted. Don't ever doubt my love for you and Emma." he says completely serious.

"I don't. I was just teasing you. I love you, you know."

"I love you too. Come on, we better go." He kisses me one more time and we get in the car and drive to the lake house.

We decided to get married there because it's so special to both of us now. I've always loved it there and then Jace and I made our own special memories the last time we were there. The ceremony will be in front of the lake and the reception will be in the barn. Mom, Maryse, Anna, & Isabelle have done all of the planning and decorating and I can't wait to see it. Isabelle is my maid of honor and Sara and Maia, whom I've gotten close with, will be my bridesmaids. Jace chose Jon to be his best man and Alec and Jordan are his groomsmen. Little Emma will be with us looking adorable in her gold dress that we got her for the ceremony. It matches the tie and vest that Jace will be wearing. He has yet to see my dress. I can't wait to see his reaction to me in it. It's off white and strapless. It comes in at the waist showing my curves I now have since the baby and the bottom flows out with a medium long train. It has some sparkle to it and intricate lace over the top of it. It's absolutely gorgeous. The bridesmaid's dresses are gold and I let them pick out what style fit them best.

We pull up to the lake house and Jace gets a sleeping Emma out of the car and we go in to see everyone that arrived before us. My mom immediately takes Emma and cradles her rocking her back and forth. We are greeted with hugs from everyone. Isabelle takes me and Jace to the lake to show us the arch we will get married in front of and then drags us to the barn to show us how it is decorated. We walk into the barn and again I am amazed at how it looks. Isabelle leaves us in there after a few minutes. I glance at Jace and he's watching me and smiling.

"What are you smiling about?" I ask as he walks over to me.

"Oh I was just thinking of the last time we were in here together. That was the best night of my life." He grabs me by the waist and pulls me tight to his chest and leans down to kiss me but stops right before his lips touch mine. "Being in here makes me want to take you in the back room again and recreate the last time we were there. Please baby, can I have you before they make me leave and sleep without you?" he begs.

I wrap my arms around him and he lifts me and carries me to the back room. After locking the door, he sets me back on the ground and quickly takes our clothes off and then he is inside me, pushing and pulling me into pure ecstasy. It takes my breath away. After he pulls out of me, we clean up and get dressed. Jace comes over to me and hugs and kisses me.

"Thank you, baby. Now I think I can get through the night without you."

"No need to thank me. Although, I think you would've managed just fine." I say smiling brightly.

"Nuh uh. I would've been miserable." he says with a kiss. "We better get back to the others."

"Okay. Do I look like you just ravaged my body?" I ask arching an eyebrow at him and trying to smooth my hair.

"You look perfect." Grinning, he takes me hand and we head back to the house where he will be leaving me soon.

o.O.o

"Oh, Clary….did you not sleep at all last night?" Isabelle asks with an annoyed tone in her voice.

"I did but it wasn't a restful sleep. I haven't slept by myself in a long time. It's not my fault." I defend.

She rolls her eyes and begins working on my face, mumbling about dark circles. Mom comes in with Emma who reaches out for me. I pick her up and kiss her soft cheek. We all finish getting ready and then we head out the back door to the lake. I wait on the porch for my cue to walk. Luke comes to stand beside me and smiles down at me.

"Your mom and I are so proud of you. We couldn't be happier for you and Jace." he says and kisses me on the top of the head.

"Even though we're so young?" I ask taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"You may be young but that doesn't make this wrong. I don't think I've ever seen two people so in love with each other at such a young age as you and Jace." He pats my hand that's wrapped around his arm. Just then the music changes and it's our turn to walk toward the arch. I grip Luke's arm tighter and we begin to walk slowly to Jace. We turn the corner and I see Jace standing under the arch holding our beautiful baby girl in his arms. When she sees me, she makes a sweet little sound and reaches for me. When we get to the end of the aisle, Jon steps forward and takes my other arm, leading me to Jace.

I stand before Jace with Luke and Jon on either side of me. Luke kisses me on the cheek and takes Emma from Jace. Jon pulls me forward and places my hand in Jace's. He kisses me on the other cheek and moves to stand behind Jace. Jace pulls me closer to him and we stand together under the arch. Since I came down the aisle, we haven't taken our eyes off of each other. The minister begins the ceremony but I can't concentrate on much of anything except for Jace. When it comes time to exchange rings and say 'I do', tears begin to sting my eyes but I force them back. All I want is to fit my mouth to his, but I have to be patient.

Finally, I hear the words I've been waiting to hear. "You may now kiss your bride."

Jace smiles a heart stopping smile and bends down, cupping my cheeks and kisses me while I sling my arms around his neck and pull myself impossibly closer and mold myself to him. The guests begin to clap and we pull apart a few inches to look at each other and smile. Then we face everyone. The minister announces us as "Mr. and Mrs. Jace Herondale." Jace looks at me beaming with happiness. We walk back to the house and once inside he kisses me feverishly.

"I love you. So much. You're my wife now. I can't believe it!" he says in between kisses. I laugh and kiss him back.

"Come on. We have to get to the reception." I say and kiss him one more time before pulling him to the barn.

Everyone greets us with hugs and congratulations. We dance, shove cake in each other's faces, and take countless pictures. I dance with Luke and Jon. Jace dances with Maryse and my mom. And we dance with Emma. It was the best wedding and reception ever in my opinion. As Jace and I are about to leave, I look around at all my friends and family, at my wonderful daughter and at my new husband. And at that moment, I realize just how lucky I am. The things that have changed and shaped me, have led me to the life I now have. I came here to start over and now I truly have.

**_The End_**

**_Awww. . . . It's over. I feel so unbelievably happy and sad at the same time. Happy because of how many people read my story and seemed to enjoy it and sad because it's over. For the past three months, I have been in this world with Jace and Clary and now I'm not. I hope you all enjoy the ending of it. I tried to keep going with their lives but Jace and Clary have told their story and I can't make them give me anymore. The epilogue goes a little further into their lives but it will be short. Look for this tomorrow and as always, let me know what you think about everything. _**

**_Until next time. . . . (which will be tomorrow)_**


	34. Epilogue

_**I am sadly updating the epilogue to this story. :( I have had so much fun writing this and hearing from all of you. I will miss this world but I am currently working on a new Clary and Jace story (or trying to) so hopefully it will be as easy to write as this was and maybe just as good. Anyway - I will be thanking some people at the end of this so keep reading. **_

_**Enjoy the end of Starting Over!**_

**Epilogue:**

**_**Song: Awake by Secondhand Serenade**_**

**_~5 years later~_**

I wash out my paintbrushes and clean up the paint spatters off the floor. As I finish cleaning, I hear giggles coming from the backyard. I step outside to see my 6 year old and my 3 year old playing tag together. I smile and sit down in a chair to watch them. I think back over the last few years. So much has changed. After Jace and I got married, Jon and Isabelle got the wedding fever and tied the knot 6 months after we did and announced her pregnancy right after that. We lived in the apartment next to them until we found out I was expecting baby number two. We had quickly outgrown our apartment so Mom and Luke gave us the lake house to move into. So here we are, living at the lake house with Emma, our 6 year old, and Will, our 3 year old. The property next to us went up for sale a few months after we moved and Jon and Isabelle pounced on it and bought it. Now they live next door again. Jon and Jace take turns driving into the city together. Isabelle stays at home with their 5 year old daughter Tori and 2 year old son Nolan. We hang out all the time and let the kids play.

Maryse and Robert still live outside the city with 15 year old Max. Alec and Sara broke up and Alec is dating someone now we haven't met yet. He's being super secretive with this one for some reason. We still see Jordan and Maia every now and then. Their son, Kane, is 4 years old.

Stephen and Celine have become a big part of our lives. Jace now has a good relationship with his father and they are terrific grandparents. Emma and Will love talking like Anna, mimicking her British accent.

We lost Luke last year after a long battle with cancer. Mom moved into the city near Maryse to an apartment because the house held too many memories and she couldn't bear to be there alone. Luke is buried in the same cemetery as Simon. I still visit Simon but not as often as I used to. I go on my birthday and his, and during the holidays. I still miss him dearly but I don't shy away from the memories I have of him.

Jace. I still get butterflies whenever he comes in the room or smiles at me. I'm still completely, head over heels in love with him even after all this time. I still shiver under his touch and for whatever reason; he still feels the same about me.

"Here you are, baby." Jace says as he comes to sit beside me on the patio. He kisses me and smiles over at the kids. He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to hand rests on my rounded belly and he gently rubs it. I smile at this. He does that every time I'm pregnant. Baby number 3 is due in 4 months and this time we decided to be surprised. I reach over and wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him softly on the lips. He smiles against my mouth and I sigh with happiness. "I love you Jace Herondale."

"And I love you Clary Herondale. With all of my heart, always." And then he kisses me.

**_So that's it! I really hope you liked it and you'll review for me one last time. I would like to thank some people who encouraged me so much throughout this story and you probably didn't even know you were doing it._**

**_To IWriteNaked (check out her story - it's awesome!)_**

**_greygirl2358_**

**_A Little Something Different_**

**_DamphiricAngel2014_**

**_Super S.J_**

**_xXDustAngelXx_**

**_Gillian73_**

**_Cecyl 2014_**

**_BeccketAndCastle_**

**_RitzaHerondale_**

**_And all of the other people who reviewed! Thank you soooo much and I hope you stay tuned for the new story I'm writing. _**

**_All my love and until next time. . . . _**

**_Ractre_**


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